Why Les Papillons du Ciel?

We want to bring concrete responses to the challenge of educating children, through rugby. This gentlemen’s sport is our passion and can be seen as a metaphor for society. Some even call it the school of life. Although it has the advantage of being just a game, it is fundamentally an educational sport. Rugby is refereed by a respected man whose authority is indisputable; it is governed by rules and the latent, yet ever-present notion of danger. Here, too, it resembles ‘real life’, implying the need for discipline if we want to succeed in living together in harmony.

Franck Mesnesl, Director and Founder of this association explains to us : "That’s why I decided to set up Les Papillons du Ciel, a charity dedicated to supporting and developing projects in the field of education. We build support for schooling initiatives around our own area of expertise, rugby, which we see as a legitimate and appropriate motivating force in this context. I’m convinced that education – initially passed on within the family and then at school – can be anchored and rounded out with sporting values like hard work, passionate commitment, rigour, and the courage to take on challenges, both on your own and as part of a team. The spirit of this project centres on an involvement with rugby. To raise funds for Les Papillons du Ciel, Eden Park decided to work with a fabric recycling project and get local seamstresses to sew little bowties, known in French as “butterfly knots” – noeuds papillon. The bowtie emblem is representative of the foundation, but above all, it’s the logo of the Eden Park brand – a distinctive and powerful symbol channelling freedom and elegance. Its timeless design illustrates age-old craftsmanship and confers a unique character on each piece."

These bowties are sold in Eden Park shops for €3, €1 of which is donated to the charity Les Papillons du Ciel.