Whitchurch-on-Thames and Goring Heath
Twinning Association
Whitchurch-on-Thames and Goring Heath
Twinning Association
It was a weekend of sunshine, champagne and flowers when we visited our twin town of La Bouille to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the friendship between us.
A group of twenty-seven set out on Friday, and were happily received by our host families who had planned various ways to entertain us. On Saturday there were visits to the abbey of Bec-Hellouin (hence our Beck Tithes), to the famous ruins of Jumieges abbey, to local markets, to Rouen, and to Etretat. Some just took the bac (ferry) across the Seine to see where Alfred Sisley had placed his easel to paint views of the river here.
On Saturday evening we were invited to a civic reception at the Mairie, with warm speeches from the mayor, Joel Templeton, and the presidents of the French and English twinning associations. We remembered the many people of both villages who had taken part in our exchanges over the years, and introduced the people who had come with us for the first time. We had with us Peter and Tanya Hawley who were founder members of the Twinning in Whitchurch, and from the French side Martine Cousin had been involved from the beginning.
An exchange of gifts followed – ours was a Jack Orford print of scenes of Whitchurch, donated by Susie Hearne - and then champagne and canapes were served. A livre d’or was circulated and the two flags made of colourful sweets were consumed. A fleet of cars then took us up to the elegant Hermitage restaurant for dinner – a treat which had been kept a secret, no mean feat. A dinner of fish mousse and duck was rounded off with two cakes, one an ice cream confection and one traditional fruit cake, made by Alison Broadbridge. The evening ended with blowing out of candles and the singing of “happy birthday” in two languages.
Our Sunday visit to Monet’s house and garden at Giverney took place in glorious sunshine, perfect for our picnics. The wisteria on the Japanese bridge was in full bloom, as were the tulips, flowering shrubs and trees. No waterlilies yet. It was crowded with people from all over the world, yet is such a spectacular sight that it will remain a memorable visit.
On Sunday evening our host families again entertained us to dinner parties, with Normandy specialities camembert and calvados much in evidence. Fortunately we had a pleasant coach journey home to catch up with sleep and recover from our weekend of celebration!
Vicky Jordan