July
In the middle of July the weather held fair again when, by kind invitation of our friends in Mont Saint Aignan, a smaller group from the Edenbridge area took the opportunity to see the Armada of Tall Ships being held in adjacent Rouen. On the outward journey we had time to stop at ‘Les Jardins des Valloires’ to enjoy the wonderful shrubberies, trees and formal flower beds to be found there and had been blessed with fine weather as we were for the visit to the ships the day after. Making their way in cars the English stayed two nights with host families spending one full day by the quayside of the river Seine where a flotilla of magnificent ships were berthed. The event comes to Rouen every four years and is visited by over a million people from both France and all over the world and is an opportunity to not only view the vessels from the dockside but to also climb aboard and marvel at the quantity of ropes and wood that is on display. The ships come from many countries including Russia, Mexico, Uruguay, Holland and Italy and, of course, France. The British were represented by Tenacious, the one specially adapted for disabled sailors, and Grand Turk, built for the television series Hornblower. Although a tiring day, most of the ‘twinners’ took the opportunity to came back for the outdoor concert performed by the Rouen Symphony Orchestra who played a selection of pieces many topically pertaining to the sea and including from the film ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’! The evening ended with a spectacular firework display, which, as Mont Saint Aignan is sited on the escarpment overlooking Rouen, many people watched from a well known viewing spot. We have since realised how lucky we were when we made our farewells to our French hosts under the shelter of umbrellas and have been told that the rain apparently continued there till the end of the week!           Picture Gallery of EDTA's visit to the Rouen Armada

June
Edenbridge and District Twinning Association (EDTA) visit to Mount Saint Aignan (MSA) was another great success. Not only did we have a number of our regulars but being school holidays we had a number of children with their parents and grandparents. The start from Edenbridge was early so that we could stop at Ferme Des Fontaines (Fountain Farm) near Neufchâtel-en-Bray, Seine-Maritime, Upper-Normandy which specialised in cheeses of Neufchatel. The farmer’s wife gave us an excellent talk regarding the milk yield cycle with calf birth and the making of Neufchatel cheese. At the conclusion we were taken on a tour of the fromagerie and many took the opportunity to purchase the fresh white cheese. Met by some of our hosts we completed our journey to MSA by 19:00hrs and dispersed to our host homes and enjoyed the usual fine hospitality. Up early on Saturday we made our way by coach to Bayeux for a day trip. First stop was the Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie (Battlefield of Normandy Museum). This comprehensive collection of WW2 vehicles and memorabilia superbly commemorate the bravery and horror of this Normandy Invasion in 1944 and the subsequent battles that ensued as the allies tried to break free from the Channel coast towards central France. At lunch time we made our way to the centre of Bayeux for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon we met together at the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux which houses the Bayeux Tapestry. The embroidery, 70 metres long, made in the 11th century celebrates the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy. Afterwards we strolled around the beautiful and picturesque centre of the town. The River Aure flows through Bayeux and affords scenic views from a number of locations. We returned by coach to MSA and spent the evening with our hosts. On Sunday we had free time walking with our hosts and met at the MSA scout hut for Brunch. We departed for England at about midday and were in Edenbridge a little after 7pm. Again a very successful experience for everyone that took part.                                 Picture Gallery of EDTA's visit to MSA

April
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of weekend walking events organised by the Edenbridge and District Twinning Association (EDTA) and the Mount Saint Aignan (MSA) Twinning Association a special walk was organised from MSA to Edenbridge. Four members of EDTA made their way to Dieppe and were collected and taken to MSA to begin  the 100 miles walk to Edenbridge on Saturday 5th April. Four members of the MSA twinning made up the core walking team. Following the “Chasse-Marée”  the group took 3 days to reach Dieppe . From Newhaven the group followed the Vanguard Way along the coast, over the South Downs and north through the Weald to Edenbridge. The English stages took 3½ days. A full account of the walk is available for download in PDF format (22K) "The Tale of Two Ways". Other walkers arrived from France by car on Friday 15th April to join the core walkers and other EDTA members for a return walk from Hever to Penshurst on Saturday. Although there were heavy showers in general terms we were lucky with the weather. On the Saturday evening our French visitors were taken to a music recital  by Angela Purll and Timothy Kwan at Crockham Hill organised by The Bridges. On the Sunday morning we wished our friends Au revoir after another very successful exchange visit.                      Picture Gallery of the MSA to Edenbridge Walk

Account of the weekend walk and some photos in PDF format (1.2MB)

September
This was the joint visit with the Edenbridge and District Historical Society to Rouen. The focus of the visit was a guided tour of Rouen. A few cars from Edenbridge and surrounding areas made the journey to Mount Saint Aignan during Friday, arriving in the early evening. After a small welcome party in the garden of  the Pecastaing's we were all allocated to hosts and we were entertained during the evening  to the usual excellent standard. The tour required an early start on the Saturday, meeting at the restored "Le Gros Horloge" (the big clock). This 14th Century astronomical clock symbolises the wealth and power of Rouen established on the back of the wool industry. Newly reopened after a multi million restoration we spent some time individually exploring the huge structure that houses Le Gros Horloge with headsets which provided extensive information in English about the clock and Rouen in general. After this tour we reassembled in the "Place de la Cathedrale" where we met our English speaking guide. For the next 3 hours we followed her around Rouen. We walked  up and down the centre of Rouen and leant much about war, disease and pestilence. This included the "Palais de Justice", the market area,  narrow streets, interesting architecture and the place where Joan of Arc was burnt plus a guided tour of the Eglise Sainte Jeanne d'Arc. The last stop was the Notre Dame Cathedral, which  is where the heart of Richard the Lionheart is laid and was the highest building in the world (151m) until 1880. We were all glad to see our lunchtime restaurant and greatly rejuvenated by the fine fare and wine. We dispersed to our hosts homes where other trips and entertainment were arranged. In the evening we were taken back to Notre Dame Cathedral for the world famous light show. Based upon the many paintings of Notre Dame made by Claude Monet the laser light is the paint and the towering bleached wall of the Cathedral is the canvas. We were a weary troupe when we made our way to bed that night. On Sunday morning we were taken to the Mont Saiint Aignan artisans fair and were entertained to dance, music and pantomime. Following an out door picnic we said our goodbyes and made our way home with many fond memories.                            Picture Gallery

June
Following a less than optimistic weather forecast the weekend turned out very pleasant and as, always, very enjoyable.  The Mont Saint Aignan (MSA) coach had some difficulty with the tunnel crossing so arrived a little later than expected on the Friday evening. The hosts collected their guests and ensured they were well rested for the free-form arrangements of the Saturday. Each host entertained their guests by arranging or beyond walks or visits to places of interest in the Edenbridge area during the day then brought them to the evening Barn Dance at the W.I. Hall in Edenbridge. Tired, but much entertained by "Footloose" and far too well fed by "Care Catering", the weary made their way home later than they were used to. An early start on the Sunday took everyone to the Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum near Lewes. Bentley is more expansive than you think and by the time we had seen the Motor Museum, the House, the Gardens and scale railway many did not get a chance to see the Wildfowl, as the walk is a minimum of 1 hour. However we did have time for a splendid picnic which included traditional English brewed beverages. With some sadness we had to say goodbye to our French friends in  mid afternoon as their coach had to make its way along the coast to Folkestone for their return home.                                                                                                                                         Picture Gallery

March
Edenbridge visited Mont Saint Aignan (MSA) for the annual walk and enjoyed a splendid weekend. The walk itself was through the French National Park - Forêt de Roumare with panoramic views overlooking the  beautiful Seine Valley. The morning walk took place in less than sunshine but our spirits were not dampened as we walked through woodlands and picturesque villages such as Montigny enjoying various conversations with our hosts. We concluded at St Martin De Boscherville and enjoyed a very pleasant meal in the village restaurant La Roumardiere.  Refreshed with food, and a little wine, we restarted the walk. After a short time we came upon the Abbaye de St Georges and had an opportunity  to look inside the significant 12th century Benedictine Abbey Church. The showers persisted for much of the afternoon but inside our waterproofs we all strolled along gaily through the idyllic Normandy countryside.. When back at the cars we were taken to a social gathering for more refreshments. The evening was pleasantly spent with our individual hosts. On Sunday we had choices. Some visitors went to the big Sunday market in Rouen, some took another walk but most went to the Rouen historical quayside  to see around the famous three-masted French barque Belem, whose previous owners included the Duke of Westminster, Sir Arthur Ernest Guinness and a venetian Count Vittorio Cini, on a 3 week visit to Rouen. We also had a excellent view of the nearly finished massive lifting bridge which carries the new motorway across the River Seine. After a midday meal we made our fond farewells and set off for home with many pleasant memories.                                                         Picture Gallery

September
The September visit to Edenbridge by twinning members from Mont Saint Aignan (MSA) was so over subscribed that one or two families had to be disappointed, as we could not host them. However those that did make the journey were rewarded by excellent weather, welcoming companionship and a superb day at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. The MSA party arrived Friday evening, later than expected due to a late start and traffic problems on the Kent motorways. There was time for little more than welcomes and the weary travellers made their way off to bed. Saturday morning was an early start as two coaches made their way around the M25 up the M3 to Kew Gardens in Richmond. Arriving about 10:00 we had a full six hours to explore the 300 acres of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Apart from the obvious vast collection of specimen flora and fauna from all over the world housed in the famous glasshouses, or planted in the extensive parklands, Kew is a leading centre of conservation and research involving over 275 Scientists and Researchers and 110 Horticulturists. In 2003 Kew was made a World Heritage Site. Upon our return we discovered that one of the coaches would not start but that was repaired within an hour and all made it safely back to Edenbridge for the individual evening family entertainments. Sunday was for ad-hoc activities and our guests wished us a fond farewell on Sunday afternoon.                                                                                                                                                 Picture Gallery
Group Photo Sunday 24th September (520Kbytes. approximately 15 seconds with broadband)

March
Edenbridge was hosting this years twinning walk. 15 guests arrived in 3 cars about 21:30hrs on Friday 31st March after a 4½ hour drive from Mont Saint Aignan. After a very wet night we awoke with some concern for the state of the paths but made an early start to Chartwell for our morning walk. The walk planned by Geoff and Ian of the Edenbridge Strollers was a circular route from Chartwell to Westerham and back. After ploughing along water logged footpaths for a couple of hours we had to clean up a bit before going into the Mulberry Room at Chartwell for lunch. In the afternoon the party divided and those that wanted to go around Chartwell House did so but the hardy set out for an afternoon walk through the surrounding woodlands including the National Trust Chartwell, Chartwell Farm and Mariner Hill. The party re-united at about 17:00hrs and in groups went to enjoy the hospitality of the Hosting families. After various activities on Sunday morning and Sunday Lunch the French guests set off on their return journey at about 13:00hrs.                         Picture Gallery

May
Another successful visit to Mont St Aignan by the Edenbridge & District Twinning Association. Most members drove to Mont St Aignan during Friday 26th and returned on the Bank Holiday Monday. However some members cycled. As usual there was a welcoming of wine and refreshments then we were distributed to hosting families. On Saturday there was a range of activities. Most members went to Claude Monet's Gardens at Giverny, others saw the vast collection of Roman items at the Musée de Antiquites  in Rouen. On the Sunday members and their hosts took a coach to Amiens. We took a canal boat trip around the floating gardens of Des Hortillonnages, had a guided tour around Amiens Cathedral  and went to the Cimetière de la Madeleine to see where Jules Verne is buried. The day was punctuated by a superb meal at "La Maison du Petit Bedon"(translates to House of the Little Pot Bellies). On Monday farewells were said, vehicles were loaded at the local superrnarché  and members made their various ways home.        Picture Gallery             Cyclist Images

 March
A group of 12 walkers from Edenbridge, together with their French hosts, and other members of the French Twinning Association went for a long walk in the Forét de Lyon near Rouen. The Edenbridge walkers made their way by car to Mont Saint Aignan in small groups during Friday. We stayed overnight with our hosts and they drove us to Lyons La Forêt where we kitted up and set off on our morning walk through the forest and surrounding villages. Although the weather was a little overcast the spirits were high and the exercise stimulated the appetite. We returned to Lyons La Forêt for an excellent lunch. In the afternoon we drove to a forest clearing and took an extensive forest walk which passed the Mortemer Abbey and the Sainte Catherine Fonteyn. An extremely pleasant day. It concluded by being entertained that evening by our hosts. We drove home during Sunday. Great fun and highly recommend for next year.                                                                                                                                                        Picture Gallery
May
We were visited by 35 people from Mont Saint Aignan who were hosted by local Edenbridge families. The visit included an excursion to the Weald and Downland Museum at Singleton and to Chichester Cathedral. On Saturday morning we made the journey to Chichester, chosen deliberately because of the historic links between the cathedrals at Chichester and Chartres, which although in Normandy, is not in fact the diocesan cathedral for Mont Saint Aignan. That is the wonderful cathedral at Rouen. We also planned a visit to the Weald and Downland Museum at Singleton. Both were much enjoyed – many of our French friends visited the cathedral while others exercised their shopaholic tendencies and made a beeline for Chichester’s shops, especially Marks & Spencer! It can be difficult to keep some of them away from the shops! The visit to the Museum was a great success – after a picnic lunch by the lake we looked at the many ancient and historic buildings rescued from sites in Kent and Sussex and re-erected at Singleton in beautiful natural rural surroundings.
  Picture Gallery

July
Ten members of the Mont Saint Aignan Bridge Club visited Penshurst for a social bridge match.                                                                                                
 

September
A visit by members of the Association to Mont Saint Aignan. During our visit to France in September we were treated to a short journey on a restored and historic steam train between St Valery sur Somme (which incidentally was the embarkation point for William the Conqueror in 1066) and Le Crotoy. This was a fascinating journey across the mudflats which form the marshy estuary of the Somme. From there we went to the enormous wildlife sanctuary at Marquenterre which houses an amazing and diverse collection of seabirds and waterfowl attracted by the superb estuarine feeding conditions.
Picture Gallery