Crookham Village is twinned with Lévignen

Since 1983 Crookham Village has been twinned with Lévignen in France. Lévignen is about 40 miles North East of Paris, near Crépy-en-Valois, Senlis and the forest of Compiegne.

Souvenirs of visits have been exchanged between the committees of the two groups since the earliest days. We were presented with a special plate, painted by Daniel Leger in September 1982. This portrays the Lévignen church which was extensively renovated with new windows and altar etc during a ten- year period, ending in 2017, when we were treated during the visit to Lévignen with a visit to the Church to see the finished works.

Early in the exchanges, a plaque was erected at the Lévignen community centre, La Chennai. This commemorates rhododendrons presented by the twinners of Crookham Village for the Lévignen community.

It is interesting to note that as a result of the twinning arrangements, parts of Lévignen are now named after Crookham Village, and several streets in Zebon Copse are named after French people and places involved in the Twinning (e.g. Gondreville, Camus, Leger, Decouttère.).

In 2016, the twinning group from Lévignen presented us with a milestone as a souvenir of our visits to them. This was placed in the small garden plot ousted what was the Crookham Village Stores and shows the distance between our two villages.

Until 2020, when Covid arrived, weekend visits of about 30-50 people from Lévignen to Crookham Village, or (in alternate years) from Crookham Village to Lévignen have taken place. Families usually made their own travel arrangements (by car, rail, air or some combination of these) and arrange a meeting place for hosts and guests on arrival.

The normal pattern has been dinner with the host family on Friday evening, a day sight-seeing or similar event on the Saturday, a collective meal on the Saturday evening, usually with entertainment and dancing, a picnic lunch on the Sunday followed by inter-village games (when the visitors always win!). Sunday evening is usally spent with the host family, or small groups, the visitors returning home on the Monday morning, when many of their hosts returned to work.

These above arrangements have varied from year to year, but give an indication of what to expect if you haven’t been, but may like to go, to Levignen, or to entertain a French family for the weekend in your home, perhaps, this year.

We are hoping to renew the visits this year when we will be acting as hosts for the French Twinning Group when the weekend will be organised on a similar basis to the scenario above. Perhaps you would like to join in the events this year and possibly entertain a French family for the weekend in your home and participate in future visits?

The twinning has presented a splendid opportunity to see parts of France (and England!), experience French family life, learn some words of French, enjoy the French sense of fun, and also get to know fellow Crookham Villagers you may not have met before. There have also been many informal visits, both ways, when people have gone on holiday. Many long-term friendships have grown up over the years.

Parts of Lévignen are now named after Crookham Village, and several streets in Zebon Copse are named after French people and places involved in the Twinning (e.g. Gondreville, Camus, Leger, Decouttère.).

Fund-raising social events continue to be organised each year, to help cover the costs of entertaining our visitors in the years when we are the hosts. The French similarly organise fund-raising on their side to entertain us when we visit.

If you would be interested in learning more about the twinning,
taking part or supporting our fundraising events,

please contact us at: Crookhamvillagetwinning@gmail.com

Rick Spink (Chairman) 01252 816348