October 2004 No 1

Welcome to the first edition of the Friends of Chauvigny Newsletter. Your copy comes as a result of either the interest you have shown by very kindly hosting one ore more of our French guests on one of their visits to Billericay, or recording your interest at one of the two exhibitions which the Billericay Twinning Association has held in Billericay Library, or by your response to our publicity in the Billericay Gazette, the Weekly News or the Evening Echo. This is your invitation to become a member of the Friends of Chauvigny.

The Friends of Chauvigny is a network of Francophiles in and around Billericay who will be kept up-to-date with developments between the two towns, so that when our French friends visit, they will be able to take full advantage of the link and join in all the social activities which will be organised, act as hosts if they so wish, and, of course, visit Chauvigny with the party from Billericay. We will also keep in touch by having the occasional get-together over a glass of rouge during the year. The first of these will be on November 30^th. Details are shown later.

Inside, you will find out more about Chauvigny and its townsfolk, how the whole twinning business works, and what has taken place so far between Chauvigny and Billericay.

To join the Friends of Chauvigny, if you are not one already, just fill in the enclosed Application Form and send it off to Rod Rapley, 43, Crescent Road, Billericay, CM12 0JQ. We hope you will join us.

Chauvigny is a small, mediaeval town of 7000 inhabitants situated on the river Vienne in the departement of Vienne, 15 miles from the University town of Poitiers. The old part, or Upper Town, is built on a high, rocky outcrop which dominates the surrounding countryside. There are five chateaux and a church in the Upper Town, making it an unique townscape in Europe. They are the Donjon de Gouzon, the big, square castle keep on the right, the Bishop’s Chateau, the Harcourt Chateau, the Flin Tower, the ruined Montleon Chateau and the Eglise Saint Pierre.

The Donjon de Gouzon now houses the Industrial Archaeology Museum on four floors, and the Eglise Saint Pierre is famous for the Gofridus carved capitals surrounding the tops of the columns. Displays of falconry are given in the Bishop’s Chateau.

In the Lower Town, the Mairie dominates the main square. Flowers are much in evidence and the Chauvinois are among the most hospitable in France. There is a large, open-air market which is held twice a week. Chauvigny has long been famous for the Apilco porcelain factory. It supplies most of the hotels in France and is a household word for its domestic china. The factory is now situated in ultra-modern premises outside the town, is open to visitors and has a factory outlet shop. Nearby are the Rocamet stone quarries.

Chauvigny has been twinned with Gesenheim in Germany for fifty years, and since then it has twinned with Trino in Italy, Burkino Faso in Africa, and now Billericay.

The twinning movement came into being as a result of the carnage and destruction of two World Wars which especially affected Europe. It was thought that if people of different countries visited each other in their homes and experienced each other’s culture and traditions, it would help to break down differences that lead to conflict. Chauvigny was in the forefront of the movement and twinned with Trino, Italy, in 1950.

Initially, negotiations take place at municipal level after twinning charters are signed, one in each of the towns. It is up to the people involved how things are organised. There is a popular myth that twinning is just for civic dignitaries. This is not so. Chauvigny twinning in Billericay is organised by a sub-committee of the Billericay Twinning Association, which was assisted in its formation by the Billericay Residents’ Association. Billericay is twinned with two other towns: Fishers and Billerica, both in the USA. Fishers also comes under the Billericay Twinning Association, but Billerica twinning is managed by another independent association. On official visits, the Mayor of Chauvigny, Gérard Herbert, and Trevor Stansfield, Chairman of Billericay Town Council, assume the roles of titular heads.

Once links are established, individuals, families and organisations arrange to visit their twinned town regularly. The host town lays on a programme which brings people together by means of social gatherings and visits to local places of interest. The visitors stay in people’s homes and their hosts accompany them to the various events. Already friendships have been formed and further private visits have been arranged for the future.

Billericay has come to be twinned with Chauvigny through Elise Paret, a young French student who spent a year on work experience at Buttsbury Junior School, and stayed with a Billericay family. Elise was so impressed with the friendliness of the Billericay people and the attractiveness of our town, that, on her return, she suggested to the Chauvigny Twinning Council that they should explore the possibility of twinning with us.

Chauvigny had previously been twinned with Daventry, but it had not been a success. So, in February 2002, a group of eight Chauvinois came to Billericay and liked what they saw. Shortly after, Trevor Stansfield and his late wife, Margaret, made a return visit to Chauvigny. As a result, a group of interested people from Billericay went to Chauvigny in October 2003. In their turn, they were most impressed by the town, its surrounding countryside and its people. The twinning committees of both Billericay and Chauvigny held a meeting and decided to go ahead with linking both towns.

Last year, twelve members of the Billericay Twinning Association paid a short visit to Chauvigny to decide whether to go ahead with the twinning after the previous trips to and from Billericay which representatives from both towns had made. On Friday October 17^th, we went via Ashford to Lille by Eurostar, then from Lille to Poitiers by TGV. At Poitiers, we were met by our hosts, who took us on a brief tour of Poitiers before driving us the 15 miles to Chauvigny. There we were met at the Mairie for a formal reception presided over by the mayor, Gérard Herbert, and thence to our hosts for dinner. All of our hosts were kindness itself and could not have been more hospitable.

On the Saturday morning, we all went to Chauvigny Market which is held in the middle of the town. It was very French, with the accent very much on alimentation, with specialist stalls dealing in cheese, meat, fish, game - the region around Chauvigny is famous for its wild boar and rabbit - honey, and of course the wonderful diversity of vegetables. Individually, our hosts took us off to see the town and, in some cases, call in on relatives for a coffee or an aperitif before lunch. Language was not much of a problem. When you are in a French home. or indeed when they are with us , there is plenty of time to make yourself understood by school French, a dictionary or even sign language! Everybody’s French, whether fluent or novice improved over the four days. At the various outings and tours, interpreting was carried out by Roselyne Mazet, who is on the Chauvigny Twinning Council, and Patricia Clark, secretary of the Billericay-Chauvigny sub-committee.

On the Saturday afternoon we had a conducted tour of Chauvigny which took in the Donjon, which now houses the Industrial Archaeology Museum and the Folk Museum, and the Eglise St Pierre whose carved and coloured capitals on top of the columns are world-famous.

In the evening, we were guests at a dinner which was attended by about a hundred people from the town who were anxious to meet us. We also met a number of English ex-pats and second-homers who all sang the praises of Chauvigny and its people. In true French tradition, the French entertained us with a song or two, and those of us who felt that honour needed to be satisfied, returned the compliment. Honours were even.

On the Sunday morning, our hosts entertained us, and after lunch we went on a coach tour of the area which included nearby Montmorillon, which under EU auspices is designated a ‘Writers’ Town’. It is full of bookshops and connections with famous French authors and attracts writers from all over France. We also visited Angle-sur-Anglin, a beautiful town set on two sides of a ravine through which the River Anglin passes.

On the Monday morning, the day of our departure, we had a tour of the Apilco china factory, which supplies most of the hotels in France. We were able to stock up at the factory outlet, before being driven to Poitiers Station for the trip home. While we were in Chauvigny, the two committees got together and decided to make the twinning link between the two towns.

Through being able to stay with French people in their homes, we had learned quite a lot about them and their outlook on life. Despite all the old stereotypes, we had discovered that they have much the same problems as us: redundancy, farmers selling up due to low prices from supermarkets; looking after elderly relatives; offspring with their relationships and demanding jobs. Everybody was overwhelmed with the warm welcome and the hospitality which we received. We realised that it would be a hard act to follow when they would be visiting us the next April for the first signing of the twinning charter.

The party of 19 guests from Chauvigny flew in to Stansted on April 23^rd. For many it was their first visit to England, and some were expecting fog, uneatable food and English reserve. It happened to be St George’s Day and they were surprised to see the High Street bedecked with strange red and white flags. As an introduction to life here, they were explained the subtle difference between Great Britain and England!

We laid on a programme for them which would give them an idea of life in Billericay. We were blessed with an unseasonable hot weekend which was a surprise to most of our French friends. On the Saturday morning, we took them to Barleylands Farmers’ Market and Craft Fair. This was followed by the Mayflower Morris Dancers performing outside Somerfields in the High Street. This was highly popular as the Morris Men invited the audience to dance with them and Gérard Herbert, Mayor of Chauvigny and Michel Bejaud, President of the Chauvigny Twinning Council, eagerly joined in!

We had a pub lunch at the Red Lion, and were joined by local MP John Barron and Sylvia Kent, who presented her book, Billericay Voices, to Gérard Herbert. The Signing Ceremony was attended by 40 guests and hosts at St Mary Magdalene Church, Great Burstead, and representatives of many Billericay organisations. The short service was conducted by the Rev S Swift. The church was chosen because it is the oldest in Billericay, having been founded when Billericay was just a small nearby hamlet. The twinning ceremonies with Billerica and Fishers have both been signed there. This Charter is now lodged in Billericay Town Council Offices. Next year, during the week of le quatorze juillet, a similar Charter will be signed in Chauvigny and lodged in the Town Hall.

At a dinner at the White Horse, Ramsden Heath, that evening, the Mayor of Chauvigny, Gérard Herbert, presented the people of Billericay with a small decorative arch, carved in local Chauvigny stone, representing an open door to all the people of Billericay, and a commemorative plate, made in the local china factory.

On Sunday, Billericay Striders hosted a run in Lake Meadows in which a number of the English hosts and French guests, including the Mayor, took part. Afterwards, we took the French party into Norsey Woods for the Bluebell Walk. The woods were brilliant with bluebells. Lunch was at Eddie's, where the sausages were very popular. The Billericay Society was in attendance and many French guests bought souvenirs of Billericay including old photographs, aprons, oven-gloves and books. In the afternoon John Buchanan conducted a tour of the Town Trail, pointing out the historic buildings in the High Street. Patricia Clark and Roselyne Mazet acted as French interpreters throughout the weekend. Some French guests were taken to places as diverse as Southend, Greenwich Observatory and a cricket match!

Farewell parties in hosts' homes were held on Sunday evening, one of which was attended by eleven guests and hosts.

Vive l’Entente Cordiale!

After a weekend in Billericay, those Chauvinois who had not been to England before had lost all their preconceptions. They said how impressed they were with were of; our colourful, well-kept gardens; our clean, shiny cars and the large number of convertibles with their hoods down; our clean streets; and our food, especially bacon, virtually unknown in France, and tea and biscuits! A number of recipes, including that for chocolate cake, has been taken back to France! And, of course the brilliant sunshine was a big bonus!

When the French party set off for Stansted on the Monday morning, Michel Béjaud, chairman of the Chauvigny Twinning Committee, said how overwhelmed they had been with the warmth of the Billericay welcome, the hospitality they received, the full programme of events, and the attractiveness of the town. 

Strangers from different countries have got to know each other, friendships have been made, and Billericay is looking forward to the next trip to Chauvigny for the signing in 2005. That is what twinning is all about.

Last July, Chauvigny celebrated fifty years of twinning. They are twinned with Gesenheim in Germany, Trino in Italy, Burkina Faso (Upper Volta) Africa, and Billericay will be fully twinned with Chauvigny next July when the second signing will take place. Six members of the Billericay Twinning Association were invited for the five-day event. While we were there, we were able to pave the way for making links with clubs, organisations and individuals between the two towns. Over 100 guests from the other twin towns had been invited. The Italians had brought their Town Band with them and provided music at the various events. Eight Italians had cycled all the way from Trino to Chauvigny, and had taken six days!

On the Monday evening, there was an official dinner attended by 320 people. In his speech, the Mayor, Gérard Herbert, recalled the April weekend in Billericay, spent by the Chauvinois for the first signing of the Twinning Charter. He said that the visit had been unforgettable and mentioned especially the signing ceremony in St Mary Magdelene Church, Great Burstead, which he described as ‘dignified and moving’.

There was a programme of trips which were organised for the visitors. We spent a morning at an open zoo consisting solely of many types of monkey. The gorillas and chimpanzees were housed on their separate islands but the rest were roaming free and we had to watch out for bags and spectacles!

On the Tuesday afternoon, we were invited to a civic reception at the Hotel de Ville in Poitiers, the main town in the region. There, we were received by Senator Alain Fouché, whose equivalent is Chairman of Essex County Council. He is the President of the Vienne Departement Council as well as having a seat in the Upper House of the French Parliament. He especially welcomed the Billericay contingent as representing the newest twin town of Chauvigny.

On the way home, we stopped at Jardres, a village outside Chauvigny, where Michel Bejaud, the President of the Chauvigny Twinning had organised an open-air concert with drinks, given by the local Jardres band, and the musicians from Trino.

On le quatorze juillet, the trip was rounded off spectactularly in the evening by son et lumiére fireworks in the park below the Upper Town.

We managed to fit in a a working session where representatives of the five towns arranged events for 2005 so that none clashed. Our next visit to France will be in July when the final signing between Billericay and Chauvigny will take place. It is hoped that we will be able to take a large group of the Friends of Chauvigny with us.

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