As always, our French friends rolled out the red carpet with sumptuous meals and local entertainment. We were even introduced to the Norman version of French and fascinated to learn how close it is to the English we speak.
The centrepiece of the visit was a tour of Fontaine-Henry’s local château, a magnificent building with a history stretching back 800 years. It has remained in the same family throughout, and the current owner, Marquis Pierre-Apollinaire d'Oilliamson, conducted the tour of the château himself.
At the memorial, one of the French Twinning families described the strong bonds they kept throughout the years with a British airman who returned to their village in 1946. Most recently family members dropped in to see him at an old people’s home in Newton Abbot to his great delight.
In 2025, they will be on their way to Devon for the return trip. With their numbers swelling, we’ll be calling on locals in Scoriton and Buckfastleigh to rally round.