Seventy Years of Traditional Archery in La Flèche
The Compagnie d’Arc de La Flèche is marking its 70th anniversary by honoring its founder, Louis Leblé. Leblé, a martial arts enthusiast and journalist for Le Maine Libre, established the institution.
From Post-War Judo to Kyudo
The club traces its roots to Leblé’s post-war athletic pursuits and his discovery of self-defense techniques during the Second World War. Around 1950, he founded the Belle Garde judo club. By 1957, one year after earning his judo black belt, he established the Association Fléchoise des Arts Martiaux (Afam). Afam initially focused on judo and karate before expanding its sporting scope to include archery. Records indicate that Leblé eventually gravitated toward traditional Japanese archery, known as kyudo.
Contentious Standoffs Over Permanent Grounds
Establishing a permanent home for the archers required navigating local civic disputes. Leblé initially set up archery targets on the grounds of the Montréal stadium alongside the old national highway, later moving them to the Bouchevereau stadium. When the minigolf facility on Famille-Bizot Street closed, he secured the space for the archery company after a contentious standoff with local residents who favored reopening the miniature golf course.
Championships, Referees, and Regional Leadership
Leblé shared his dedication to the sport with his wife. Both served as federal archery referees, and his wife secured multiple championship titles while training numerous archers in the traditional methods of French archery companies. In 1967, Leblé assumed the presidency of the “Ronde de l’Atlantique,” an alliance of multiple archery companies originally founded in 1954. In Pays de la Loire, there are currently two, at La Flèche and…
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