Welwyn Anglo-French Twinning – Forthcoming Events
2012
Friday, 23rd March
Details to be announced.
TICKET SALES
Hill and Co.,
The Violin Shop,
5 High Street,
Welwyn,
Herts AL6 9EE
01438 715849
Tickets can be purchased from Hill and Co. in Welwyn. Please use the full name ‘Welwyn Anglo-French Twinning Association’ when paying by cheque for tickets to our events. Our bankers are no longer prepared to accept cheques for deposit to our account made payable to the acronym ‘WAFTA’.
Tickets can also be purchased online. In this case a small booking fee applies.
Buy tickets online for WAFTA events.
Welwyn Anglo-French Twinning – Past Events
That Was The Weekend in France by Vernonne Allen
Friday June 3rd and 35 members of WAFTA travel to France. Most by Eurostar, much easier than our old coach and ferry routine. A few come by car. In the early group, I travel on the 9:22 Eurostar, arriving in Paris in time for lunch opposite the Gare du Nord station. Here we linger happily over oysters, steak tartare, wine and other French delights.
Others, preferring a lie-in, take a later Eurostar. Late afternoon finds us all at Gare du Nord’s suburban platforms. Champagne-sur-Oise is a similar distance north of Paris as Welwyn is from London. Our French hosts greet us warmly as we step off the train. Old friends kiss cheek to cheek – two, three or even four times. Newcomers are also kissed. This is France! Then we are whisked off in various cars to a reception given at the Mairie (by the Mayor). Here are drinks, short speeches (with translations) and exchange of gifts. English tongues attempt French, Gallic speakers dust off their English; somehow conversation flows.
Programmes are presented: traditionally a secret until our arrival. As always we would be entertained in our host’s homes that evening. An early start is indicated next day – remember we have set our watches forward an hour – 8:30am at the Place de Verdun in Champagne-sur-Oise for the coach to Paris. First to the Musée Grévin waxworks, then a picnic in the Jardin des Tuileries, a Bateaux Mouches cruise down the Seine and an Oriental Night. Fortunately, Sunday is free with our hosts.
Each French host family welcomes several people; four of us stay “chez Baspeyras”. For 14 years we’ve exchanged with this lovely family. We are delighted to see all three daughters, two now with partners and discover that a much-awaited grand-daughter is about six weeks off being born.
On Friday night Brigitte produces a typical French meal. Perhaps because over the years we have introduced them to fish and chips, beef Wellington, shepherd’s pie, trifle… She trumps us with fois gras, frogs legs, escargots (snails), duck confit with mushrooms, garlic, chestnuts and apples, salad and cheeses then a huge patisserie: a Saint Honoré cake. Husband Jean produces a different wine for each course.... finishing with champagne. This meal continues until gone midnight!
Next morning, what a relief, only coffee and croissant! The weather is extremely hot and despite great sights on the drive into Paris, it’s a relief to go into the cool museum. Grévin Waxworks presents celebrities of today and French history most cleverly. It’s fun spotting who is real and who is wax… at one point a French child pokes my husband thinking that he too is a waxwork. My, does she jump when she realises her mistake!
The rest of this hot Parisian day goes as planned with a chance to see many famous landmarks, especially from the river.
Returning from Paris we relax before preparing for the “Soirée Orientale”. At a local hall, transformed for the evening, men are given red fez hats, women jingly scarves to tie around our hips. Belly dancers start the evening with a swing. The meal – couscous prepared by the Algerian mother and aunt of one of the French hostesses – is astounding. This is not a weekend for dieters! Everyone enters into the fun; French children as young as four are up all evening dancing. The French know how to party, we English do our best. Dancing continues past midnight.
Sunday morning: our kind hosts leave us slumbering! Then a sortie to the supermarket (in France it opens morning only on Sunday), a leisurely lunch… our hosts offer oysters or smoked salmon and asparagus, roast beef, cheeses and fruit salad… and relaxation. Other twinners (possibly eating less) are taken by their hosts to the market and local places of interest.
Finally, time to leave; more hugs, kisses and photography, then, three trains later on Sunday’s 22:06 from King’s Cross, an excited chatty crowd share their experiences and discuss how to entertain our French hosts in 2012…
Why not join us?
Vernonne Allan
French Connection 1 and 2 by David Finn
This is a brief summary of our last 18 months since joining the Welwyn Anglo French Twinning Association (WAFTA) in 2010. Having just retired, we were looking at various options on how to use our time to the best effect. One option was this Twinning Association, so we went along to one of their social evenings, a quiz night. A good start with a very friendly and a down-to-earth group was our first impression. It wasn’t long before we were asked to join the committee which we agreed to.
French Connection 1:
We were asked to provide accommodation for a French lady from the Champagne-sur-Oise group. We were a little concerned as we had only a limited French vocabulary; however, everything went really well and we became good friends with her.
Carrying on through the year we have attended various functions/talks: Wine Tasting, Coffee History, French Impressionists and a Tourist Guide to North Africa.
French Connection 2:
Detailed plans were made for our visit to Champagne-sur-Oise. This included the travel by Eurostar and subsequent travel up to Champagne-sur-Oise, which is approximately 30 miles north of Paris. (Just a change of platform at Gare du Nord.) Our host was to be Paulette, the lady who had stayed with us in Welwyn. Apart from that we were a little in the dark as to the itinerary for the three days. We were not disappointed!
After a very polite Civic Reception with the Mayor and Champagne “Twinners” we went to our hosts for an evening meal. This was a chance to relax and catch up with our friends.
The next day, Saturday, was a really busy day. A coach was hired to take us to Paris and the day started with a visit to the Grévin museum. This is a wax works similar to Madame Tussauds in London. The main difference was that the exhibits were placed in settings such as Bars and Theatres, hence one could sit or stand next to George Clooney or Michael Jackson. Obviously a great photo opportunity! Next it was on to a packed lunch in the Tuileries Gardens alongside the River Seine.
Finally in Paris, a cruise on the Seine from the Eiffel Tower down to Notre Dame and back – approximately 1.5 hours of wonderful sites and buildings. The return coach ride was also quite eventful, with a large thunderstorm taking place.
That night our hosts provided a rather special “Moroccan” themed evening. This included belly dancers and a wonderful three course meal with Moroccan lamb, couscous etc. In addition to all the food, a disco and lots of drinks were provided.
Sunday was a lot more relaxed, with a light breakfast and a stroll around Champagne-sur-Oise. After lunch with our host we were taken down to the station for the trip back to Paris and onward to London.
So an interesting first 18 months in the Welwyn Anglo French Twinning Association. If any of this appeals to you then contact us via www.welwyntwinning.org. Not only will you make friends in Champagne-sur-Oise but you may find friends locally with similar interests.
David Finn
Boules Tournament
WAFTA was challenged by Hitchin Town Twinning Association (Hitchin Link) to play boules against them and Knebworth Twinning Association at the Plume of Feathers, Little Wymondley, in August 2010. We met with strong opponents from Hitchin Link, the ultimate winners. Welwyn A team won two and lost two matches and were placed third out of six. Welwyn B – well, thanks for trying and better luck next time. It was good to see a number of supporters attending and overall it was an enjoyable event.
See all the photos of the WAFTA and Hitchin Link boules tournament.
Twinning Weekend 2010
Once again a group of Welwyn residents found themselves gathered at St Pancras station at the end of May, this time to welcome our French friends from Champagne. A waiting coach whisked them off to enjoy various parts of London with visits to Oxford Street shops, the Science Museum and Covent Garden. We then proceeded to Welwyn for the official reception with the Parish council and after speeches of welcome there followed a traditional fish & chip supper and a Fun Quiz.
The following day was spent at the Herts County Show. With so much to do and see everyone had a good time. Some of our guests even found some French people selling French gardening knives – and bought some to take home – les chauvins! That evening Welwyn was treated to an invasion of sailors (both French and British), pirates and other sea creatures as guests and hosts alike entered into the spirit of the nautically-themed dinner.
Bank Holiday Monday saw a special opening of the Roman Baths in honour of the French guests. After lunch with the host families everyone gathered on Welwyn North station from where, amid much flag waving, the visitors departed for home.
Special thanks are due to the hard working committee for their tireless efforts in planning and running the week-end and also to Sandra for arranging the nautical evening. We are especially grateful to Welwyn Parish Council for their continued support of this important cultural link.
Kit Trevena
WAFTA was sad to hear of the death, on 6th February 2010, of one of our founders, Kit Trevena, at age 97. The thoughts of his many friends in WAFTA were with his widow, Ethel. You can read about Kit Trevena's role in the inauguration of Welwyn Twinning on our History page.
Kit has been honoured by having the new cul-de-sac off School Lane, Welwyn, named after him. It has been named ‘Trevena Gardens’. WAFTA was represented at the inauguration ceremony of Trevena Gardens in February. The ribbon was cut by Councillor Howard Morgan, Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield Borough.
Twinning Weekend 2009
On a bright Friday morning at the end of May a group of Welwyn residents were to be found besporting themselves at St Pancras, having coffee and croissants on the concourse, apart from those – slightly more affluent that the rest of us! – who had repaired to the champagne bar for champagne and oysters. Very soon our Eurostar train had whisked us to Paris, where we found some friends from Welwyn waiting for us. They had travelled by car the day before and spent the day in Paris. We were also met by someone from the French committee who escorted us to the local train to Champagne.
A joyful reunion with our French friends took place at Champagne station, followed by a reception at the Mairie. There speeches of welcome were made whilst we sipped wine and nibbled canapés. An evening with the individual French hosts followed.
The next day, after a leisurely morning, we were taken by minibus to the local call centre of the French firemen, which we observed in operation. We saw their equipment, which was awe-inspiring, and also paid a visit to their museum – altogether a most interesting afternoon. Saturday evening was spent enjoying much wining, dining (a delicious buffet meal) and dancing.
Sunday passed in a variety of ways – games of boules, visits to local châteaux and other places of interest. All too soon it was late afternoon and we were being waved off at Champagne station en route for Paris and our train home.
Report by Sue Nice
Welwyn Anglo-French Twinning – Posters from Past Events
Poster designs for WAFTA all by Welwyn graphic designer Rob Allan, for details contact rob@allandesign.co.uk
The colourful posters for our WAFTA events are collectors' items in themselves. Click on any of the sample images for a full slide show.
