Storrington Twinning Association

Exchange visit to Villerest: May 2009

On Friday 1st May 2009 20 members of the Storrington and District Twinning Association set off to spend a long weekend in Villerest, France; our twin town. Several members were returning to Villerest to rekindle friendships started some 12 years earlier; others were to meet new families for the first time. For those interested in finding Villerest on the map it is on the Loire approximately 90 km North West of Lyon.

After a long uneventful journey we arrived late into the evening to be greeted by our French hosts, eagerly waiting to whisk us off to be fed and wined before bed. The following morning was spent in Roanne, the nearby commercial centre. A very pleasant couple of hours were spent walking around the town admiring the trompe-l'oeill, the boats on the Roanne-Digoin canel and buying gifts, especially the praline brioche which is a specialty of the region.

View across Lac du Villerest

A communal lunch was followed by a gentle stroll around the Lac du Villerset in the May sunshine. There was even time for a trip to a local cave to taste several local wines; mostly rose. Interestingly one of the wineries is run by an Englishman; check out Simon Hawkins at domainedufontenay.com on the internet

Wine tasting

The evening saw everyone enjoy a lengthy but extremely enjoyable four course meal; all the ladies presented with a small sprig of Lily of the Valley, a May tradition in France bringing good luck for the recipient.

Presentation of Lily of the Valley

The Church of St Sulpice	Sunday morning saw a trip to the Church of St Sulpice, where the Cassandra choir perform many of their concerts, a trip to the pottery in Villerest and a stroll round the old medieval part of Villerest	Potter at work
Villerest: the old bourg

A lunchtime barbecue in the sunshine included a formal welcome from the Mayor of the village. The response from Alan Brien, our Chairman included an invitation to the assembled party to visit England in May 2010; this invitation was greeted with great enthusiasm. Watch this space for details of that visit; we will of course be looking for host families so if you think you would be interested please let us know.

Formal reception

Hopefully there will also be an exchange later next year between the Cassandra Choir and the Sandgate Singers; two members of the Sandgate Singers travelled on the trip and discussed potential dates with the Cassandra Choir's Musical Director.

Embarkation for the touring party; with Ross & Clare

Sunday evening was spent with our hosts. Monday morning came round all too soon and saw us embark on the journey home.

In summary, it was a busy but tremendously worthwhile trip. The hospitality could not have been better; once again our friends demonstrated how much they value the cultural and personal ties between us. Even the weather was kind.