A French Connection - Visitors from our twinned town, Les Pavillons-sous-Bois

Posted 2 hours ago in Brackley Town Council

Last week, representatives from Les Pavillons-sous-Bois, our twinned town located just east of Paris, met with councillors and staff at Brackley Town Hall.

Brackley has been twinned with Les Pavillons-sous-Bois since March 1972, and the relationship has resulted in many lasting friendships over the years. While contact had reduced in more recent years, the visit came from a renewed interest in strengthening these connections and building upon the partnership for the future.

Thanks to the trip, arranged by the Brackley European Association, Faris and Jean-Claude, both town councillors and members of the Les Pavillons-sous-Bois twinning committee, went on a whistle-stop tour of Brackley. Over the course of their three-day visit, they met local people and representatives from community organisations, explored the town and its history, and visited a number of local landmarks and attractions. Their packed itinerary also included visits to Silverstone Circuit and the Haas Formula One facilities, giving the pair, both keen motorsport enthusiasts, plenty to enjoy during their stay.

During their trip, they visited Brackley Town Hall. Following a short guided tour, which gave them some background on the historic building, they met with councillors and staff in the Civic Hall, where they presented Brackley Town Council with a wonderful hardback book containing information and photographs covering 100 years of Les Pavillons-sous-Bois' history.

Faris, Chairman of the Les Pavillons-sous-Bois twinning committee, read out a message written by the pair from the inside cover of the book. At only 19 years old, Faris stood as a shining example for both his hometown and young people looking to make their way into local government.

Following the presentation, the pair joined the Brackley Town Council team and councillors for coffee and cake, sharing excellent insight into the French system and how it differs from our own local government. Jean-Claude, who specialises in finance, went into detail about the French financial system, and staff and councillors became thoroughly engaged in discussing the benefits and pitfalls of each nation's approach.

As is so often the way with our neighbours from mainland Europe, we were truly humbled by our visitors' excellent English-speaking skills. Should we take up our guests on their generous invitation to visit our twinned town in the future, we'll certainly have to spend some time practising our French, although we're not sure if any amount of practice will help us reach the high bar they set for us!

We would like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to both Faris and Jean-Claude for their visit. They were wonderful company, and both the presentation and conversations were fascinating and informative. Both guests were excellent representatives for Les Pavillons-sous-Bois, and we hope this wonderful but brief meeting will be the first of many more to come, helping to strengthen the renewed relationship between our two towns.

The enthusiasm shown during their visit for future exchanges involving young people, families, sport and community groups was particularly encouraging, and we look forward to seeing where this renewed connection between Brackley and Les Pavillons-sous-Bois might lead.