Cross-Channel visit celebrates 34 years of East Preston twinning

The 32 members took the early morning ferry from Portsmouth to Ouistreham for the biennial visit, on the 34th anniversary of the twinning link between the two communities.

On arrival at Brou, the group found their French hosts waiting at the Hotel de Ville, with a welcome drink at the ready.

The Saturday saw all the hosts and guests taking part in a day of visits and activities, beginning with the mediaeval chateau at Anet, standing in magnificent grounds and built for Diane de Poitier, mistress to the French King Henri II.

After lunch in Dreux, the next stop was the Chapelle Royale de St Louis, which contains the tombs and memorials of the Bourbon-Orleans royal families. Before returning to Brou, there was a visit to a working museum of the Dreux vineyard.

On the Sunday, members were entertained by their hosts, who had got together to arrange different, smaller group visits.

The most popular places were probably Chartres, with its great cathedral, Bonneval, for boating trips round the fortified town, and Chateaudun, with its mediaeval castle and limestone caves.

That evening, a final, splendid meal was enjoyed together in an old watermill overlooking the river.

After brief speeches by Michele Herbaux and Linda Rooke, chairman, respectively, of the Brou and East Preston twinning groups, and Robert Doucet, member of the Senat for the region, there was dancing to music provided by a keyboard specialist, the highlight being the tango, with a spontaneous and most professional demonstration by George Tucker and Linda. The East Preston party expressed many thanks to their Brou hosts for their generous hospitality as they said their farewells on the Monday morning, and everyone looked forward to the French group’s visit to East Preston, planned for August, 2013.