What a fantastic visit the 10th Anniversary trip was. In October 2001, a total of 90 people from Bridlington, 50 travelling by coach, 30 by air and 10 making their own way were hosted with so much generosity by our friends from Millau. The week was eagerly awaited by all the travellers as many were re-visiting Millau, but for some there was a certain apprehension as it was their first time with a French family.
The coach party left in good cheer as Frodingham coaches gave us fabulous service and value. In spite of the long trip, broken only by the Eurotunnel crossing, spirits remained high, as you can see.
Of course, not only did we have people travelling by coach, the rest of the party took advantage of Ryan Air's flight from Stansted to Nimes and hired a coach to bring them up to Millau.
The first signing of the twinning took place in Millau in October 1991, so in order to recognise this occasion, we brought all the Bridlington travellers and their hosting families together at the Town Hall to commemorate this event. Alongside the usual speeches and welcoming gifts, was the presentation of a signpost by the Bridlington Twinning Association to the town of Millau which indicated the 3 twin towns of Bridlington, Bad Salzuflen (Germany) and Louga (Senegal).
With Christmas not so far ahead, both Twinning Committees had been rehearsing a show for the opening day. The French play was a twist on the Christmas story and carried out with much aplomb (in English) by many of the hosting families who were learning English at the Chamber of Commerce in Millau. The English play was a pantomime favourite. Carried out entirely in French, "Blanche Neige et les Sept Nains" (Snow White and the 7 dwarves) was a great success.
Equally well received, were the many and varied visits and trips that the Millau Committee had organised so that we could get to see the very best of what the region had to offer. Whilst one group did the classic tour around the Gorges Du Tarn and the Gorges de la Jonte, stopping at Aven Armand, the fantastic grotto, another group had a brillaint trip down to Meditteranean coast to visit Palavas, Aigues Mortes and Montpellier.
Equally as interesting was the visit to the newly created "Micropolis - Cite des Insectes". The museum of the city of the insects had been developed close to St. Leons, a beautiful old village nestling in the hillside and the birthplace of Jean-Henri Fabre, a renowned entymologist, biologist and celebrated ecologist.
All good things must come to an end and the leaving party once more brought hosting families and Bridlingtonians together. The generosity and warmth of the people from Millau are always a big feature of any visit that we make to France. We left the Twinning Committee with a typical English Christmas hamper packed with cakes and goodies and all the hosting families were presented with an essential item if they host an English person again. Who knows, we may even convert this little corner of France into a tea drinking town.
MORE PICTURES OF THE VISIT CAN BE FOUND IN CURRENT PICTURES