A delegation of 14 spent a very enjoyable in Ilkley’s twin town of Coutances, Normandy, in early April.

As well as members of the Twinning Committee, fellow-travellers included a second representative of the Soroptimists, two further members of Club Francophone du Wharfedale and two Wharfe Valley primary school teachers (from Sacred Heart and Moorfield).

As usual, the delegation was royally received, with a civic reception at the town hall and an official dinner in a local restaurant. Members stayed with families in Coutances and we enjoyed warm and generous hospitality from our hosts – with memorable meals!

Three members of the Coutances team very kindly met us in Saint-Malo, as we emerged from the overnight ferry, and accompanied us on a tour of the ramparts.

We then visited le Mont-Dol before lunch and enjoyed an afternoon visit to the Mont Saint-Michel in glorious spring weather.

There we discovered the dam recently built across the Couesnon river, a major project designed to flush out silt and eventually return the Mont Saint-Michel to its island status.

The weather was less kind for Saturday afternoon’s excursion to the oyster and mussel beds at Gouville-sur-Mer, but the visit was fascinating – and appropriately atmospheric. We were taken into the sea in horse-drawn carriages (horses up to their withers in the water) and the oyster and mussel farming system was explained. In between was a very welcome oyster tasting – with vin blanc – on the beach.

Vicky Cooke (Moorfield School) and Lucy Neal (Sacred Heart School) met primary school colleagues on Saturday – a very profitable session, wherein they outlined contacts for the new school year in September. The Tanneries school and Jules Verne primary school are very keen for the link to work; no doubt others will come on board as things progress.

On Sunday we were escorted back to Cherbourg for the return ferry by four of our hosts. A number of others came as far as the Château de Martinvast, variously built and restored between the 16th and 19th centuries and set in extensive grounds lanscaped à l’anglaise.

The next ICTTC meeting and AGM will be on June 16 in the council chamber at Ilkley Town Hall. Anyone interested in joining the committee is invited to contact chairman Judith Dunn on 01943 817588. We look forward to a visit from Coutances in 2013.