2024 exchange visit - save the date:
Friday 13th-Monday 16th September 2024
2023 exchange visit
What a fantastic weekend we all had! See the Photographs page for photos.
- Earlier this Autumn, Members of the Dorchester Bayeux Twinning Society were pleased to host a weekend visit from over 40 of their French twinning partners from Bayeux. This was the latest in a long series of reciprocal twinning visits that have taken place every year since the 1960s and this year it was this turn of the Dorchester side of the partnership to host our Bayeux friends for this return visit which had been delayed due to COVID.
- The importance of maintaining the twinning relationship is recognised by Dorchester Town Council who gave an excellent civic reception in the Victorian Hall of Dorset Museum, with a welcoming address from the Mayor, Alistair Chisholm, and a response from Bayeux’s Maire Adjoint, Madame Lydie Poulet, and the French twinning President, Patrick Benoist.
- The day continued with an afternoon visit to Sherborne castle where more than 80 hosts and guests appreciated a very informative and well-presented tour of this magnificent castle which was once home to Sir Walter Raleigh.
The evening was spent catching up with friends and family news at the homes of the hosts. The Dorchester Bayeux society was delighted to welcome new Twinning Society members from Poundbury who were hosts for the first time, and which afforded them the opportunity to show their French guests this distinctive part of Dorchester.
- After a leisurely Sunday morning, the Twinning Society committee laid on an excellent three-course meal in the delightful Pengelly rooms at Kingston Maurward house where guests and hosts enjoyed a traditional English roast Sunday lunch with which our guests were suitably impressed.
- Finally, on the Monday morning our French friends gathered in Poundbury where they sampled the wide range of refreshment opportunities and were able to find souvenirs and stock up on some of their favorite English foods before setting off to catch the ferry home.
Gareth Jones, Chairman, Dorchester Bayeux Twinning Society
Vivre à Bayeux
The latest copy of a community magazine published by Bayeux town council called 'Bayeux à Vivre' can be found here. The Dorchester-Bayeux Society featured in the one-hundredth edition, see extract below.
The September issue includes an interesting article about the markets of Bayeux, (see page 8), and open air art in the town (page 12).
The magazine can be downloaded (télécharger) or viewed online (consulter).
