Celebrations

The village of Wellow close to the border of Hampshire and Wiltshire and adjoining the New Forest National Park celebrates 25 years of twinning with its counterpart in France, Couffe this year.
Earlier in the summer there were exchange visits in either direction, cementing the relationship between the two villages, and of course for joint celebrations.
Couffe itself is in the Loire-Atlantique region of France, more commonly known as the Loire Valley, and not far from the Atlantic coast in the north-west of France.
Much of the tourist interest in this part of France is focused along the coast either side of the Loire estuary with a number of small ports and resorts that are popular with both the French and overseas visitors.
Many years ago I was privileged to be invited to the region by the French government and the airline Air France to make an appraisal of the region and present my opinion as to the tourism potential for developing links with Britain. For the visitor, the up-market La Baule at the time was the main focus, and it’s reputation is still high in the sophistication stakes.
But both along the coast and inland there are plenty of quaint French ports and small towns and villages.
In Wellow, the local Parish Council tell me the bond with Couffe is strong and those who are involved say the relationship is one of the most successful twinnings in the Test Valley and beyond.
 
Who knows? Way back in the distant past I might directly or indirectly have had some influence on the twinning coming about.