Worth the wait - Rugby and Evreux friends celebrate landmark

Rugby Twinning Association members visited their French counterparts in Evreux, over the Bank Holiday weekend for an extended four-day trip to celebrate a special anniversary for their link between the two towns.

The twinning dates back to 1959 but this link traces its roots to 1971, so the much-awaited gathering was to mark 50 years.

A spokesperson for the group said: “Many of the members have twinned with the same families for many years - with one pair having twinned since the first visit in 1971.

"The 50th Anniversary had been delayed until this year, due to travel disruption during the pandemic.”

The event was deemed a great success, with Medhat Samwil - French president of the Evreux group welcoming the Rugby contingent.

Chair of the Rugby group, Alastair Robinson, responded on behalf of the members who had made the trip from Warwickshire.

They were then presented with medallions to commemorate the event by the Deputy Mayor of Evreux.

The spokesperson added: “The group went to Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, a spa town in western Normandy where they had a celebratory meal and spent time exploring the town before heading back to Evreux for more festivities.”

Evreux is in Normandy and though it has a smaller population than Rugby, it has some mightily impressive buildings – notably the cathedral and the episcopal palace.

A more recent claim to fame is when Jimi Hendrix played his first gig in France there in 1966 – and there is an annual Rock in Evreux Festival each year.