BUDE and Stratton received a special visit from the continent recently as they welcomed 30 friends from their twinned town in France.  

As part of its 45th anniversary, Bude-Stratton Twinning Association and Ergué-Gabéric Twinning Association have come together in the coastal town.  

Thirty residents from the French town of Ergué-Gabéric made the long trip across the Channel to visit Bude for a fun-filled weekend.

On Saturday, May 18, visitors and hosts were warmly received by Bude-Stratton Town Council in the Parkhouse Centre, where the Breton flag ('Gwenn-ha-Du' in Breton) was flown. The newly elected Mayor, Cllr Steven Haynes, gave an insightful, welcoming speech, highlighting the importance of sharing commonalities and of fostering good international relations, especially in times of increased tension. He then presented gifts of a framed architectural drawing of the Storm Tower and a newly published book on the history of Bude Castle to the chair of the Ergué-Gabéric Twinning Association, who in return presented to us a hamper of food and drink delicacies from Brittany.

Following the formal presentation, attendees enjoyed a buffet lunch followed by an informative talk from the town council’s project and strategy manager, Francesca Churchill-Zerilli, on the project to relocate the Storm Tower. This presentation was simultaneously translated into French for the benefit of the guests.

On Sunday, the group took a trip to Padstow, starting with a walk from Daymer Bay to Rock and then the ferry across to Padstow. Sunday evening they were once again warmly welcomed, this time by everyone at the Beach House restaurant in Widemouth Bay, with musical entertainment from local singer/songwriter Ezmay Grace, followed by a sumptuous banquet and local Cornish cheeses from Whalesborough Cheeses. 

Monday saw an early start, with a visit to the Tamar Bridge Visitor Centre, a fascinating tour discovering the history of life before and after the construction of the bridges, which also gave insights in to the engineering and operations of the Tamar Bridge and Brunel's Royal Albert rail bridge.  

In the afternoon the group paid a visit to the Mayflower museum, learning about the Mayflower story and looking at the history and legacies of voyages to America and the impact of colonisation. Finally, they enjoyed some free time exploring the Barbican and the Hoe, finishing the day with fish and chips at Pier One Restaurant overlooking Plymouth Sound, before their guests departed on the overnight ferry. 

A spokesperson from Bude-Stratton Twinning Association said: “The weekend was a great success, enjoyed by all, who celebrated long-standing and new friendships. Our French guests were made to feel very welcome wherever they went and we enjoyed glorious weather, showing off the best of Bude, Cornwall and Plymouth!

“Vive le Jumelage!”