Our two villages, East Hoathly and Halland, have been fortunate to enjoy a strong twinning connection with Juziers, a small town on the River Seine some 35 miles from Paris.
The link was established in 1995 since when there have been annual visits in each direction. In 2014, we took nearly a full (49 seater) coach load over. Apart from the usual magnificent hospitality, we also enjoyed our first formal tennis encouter with a series of light-hearted tennis matches. In 2015, we will host our French friends on the weekend of 1st – 3rd May.
The weekend visits whether here or over there always involve visits to local sights, a superb feast at which the tables groan under the weight of food and, above all, some wonderful friendships which are still going strong 20 years later.
Anyone living within the parish is an automatic twinner. It costs nothing to join. In fact, it doesn’t even require an ability to speak fluent French! To actively participate, all that is needed is an interest in things French, a willingness to communicate in some form or other and a bit of stamina for what is invariably a full on 60 hours each visit.
Photo of East Hoathly by jimmythesnaps
Juziers photo by Bill Aslett