This year five families crossed the channel to Vannes. The weekend chosen was the 26th & 27th October. Although the weather around that time had been fairly dreadful, the crossings were calm and without incident for those who went by ferry. Many of the twins went a day early, stopping off in St Malo and Rennes en route, in order to catch up with their host family before the twinning proper began.
The activities began on the Saturday with a delicious buffet lunch on a barge on the waterfront a short distance from Vannes Old Town. Everyone enjoyed the reunion and the chance to catch up. We were very fortunate that the weather held and we were able to be out on deck. Following the lunch, everyone headed for the Old Town, where two guides were waiting – one for the children giving the tour in English and French, and one for the Adults (in French). Of particular interest was a trip into the former indoor market, where we saw a vast wooden sculpture of a serpent, which was impressive both to the adults and the children.
On the Saturday evening we were taken to a Karaoke restaurant some way outside Vannes where we had a hog roast, cider and a sing-song.
On the Sunday everybody met at one of the organisers’ house – Isabel Crussaire, where we were treated to another sumptuous meal, before we went for a walk along the beach in the rain and said our goodbyes.
Next year is the turn of Vannes to come here and we are pleased to have recruited a new family to match a new French family who have signed up, but we continue to look for further families to sign up and the rumour is that there are one or two more families in France who are interested.
As ever we would like to thank the Fareham Vannes Twinning Association for their kind support over the years. Bill Cutter
Fareham - Vannes Twinning Association 