Thanks to Suzanne and Alan for this latest news from the Cowes-Deauville Twinning Association. Ed
2014 will see the 50th anniversary of the Cowes-Deauville Twinning Association and to mark the start of the celebrations a delegation from Deauville visited Cowes during Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.
Hosting a reception at Cowes Yacht Haven Events Centre the mayor of Deauville, Monsieur Philippe Augier, welcomed everyone to the gathering. Guests included Cowes Town Mayor Cllr Geoff Banks and his wife Kay as well as members of the various yacht clubs in Cowes and residents of Cowes who joined with the visitors from Deauville.
Formed in 1964
Cowes-Deauville Twinning Association was formed in 1964 with a view to furthering social, cultural and sporting exchanges between the citizens of both towns and in the original Twinning documents it was stated that,
“Our Association always welcomes applications from anyone who is interested in forming friendships with a French family and who also have a connection with the town of Cowes. This connection can be having (or had) an address or employment in Cowes or its neighbouring areas, or have a close interest within the region.”
Twinning Charter
A Twinning Charter was duly agreed and signed by the then serving local officials: Cllr EJ Powell Chairman of Cowes UDC and Maire de Deauville, Monsieur Michel d’Ordano.
This Charter was later re-affirmed in June 2004, again by the local officials: Mayor of Cowes Town Council Cllr Alan L Wells and Maire de Deauville Monsieur Philippe Augier.
Cultural rather than trade exchanges
This Association is primarily concerned with cultural exchanges rather than promoting trade but, nonetheless, the many French visitors invited through the Association’s activities help to promote the name of Cowes to the French communities of Deauville and further afield in Normandy.
Over the years the Association has promoted visits to Deauville by both its members and other various groups from Cowes.
Cowes to Deauville yacht race
In addition to the Twinning Association a yacht race from Cowes to Deauville has been held since 1962.
Deauville is a commune in the Calvados departement in the Basse-Normandie region of northwestern France and well known for its race courses, two harbours with plenty of yacht berths as well as a yacht club. An international film festival, the boardwalk built in 1923 and Grand Casino constructed in 1912 also feature.
“Queen of the Norman beaches”
It is regarded as the “Queen of the Norman beaches” and the surrounding areas of Normandy are very well known for the production of Calvados (Apple Brandy) and regional cheeses such as Livarot one of the oldest and greatest Normandy cheeses.
Monsieur Augier, who is also the President of Deauville Tourism, and his fellow French visitors made sure that all those attending this recent reception were supplied with a selection of the local Normandy produce and the Cowes Yacht Haven team ensured that the evening kept up the tradition of ‘entente cordiale’.
