Dear SHTA Friends,
We hope that our second Newsletter of 2025 finds you well.
February in France
February begins in France with the tradition of ‘Le Chandeleur (Candlemas) which took place on Sunday 2nd February. It is considered the last cycle of the Christmas celebration. In religious tradition, Christians were only meant to clear the Christ’s
manger scene after La Chandeleur. Nowadays, La Chandeleur is mostly known as the day of the crêpes. It’s a day when families and friends all make crêpes and enjoy them together. There are a number of theories as to why crêpes are made : –
- The colour and shape of the crêpe is meant to be evocative of the sun after a harsh winter.
- Using the wheat of the previous harvest to make crêpes was meant to be a charm of good luck for the next harvest.
- Pope GélaseⅠused to distribute a crêpe-style dish to the pilgrims who came to Rome and the tradition just continued.
Honfleur 2025
2025 is the 1,000th anniversary of the first written record of Honfleur by Richard III, Duke of Normandy, in 1025. By the middle of the 12th century, the city represented a significant transit point for goods from Rouen to England.
Due to our twin town being located on the estuary of one of the principal rivers of France with a safe harbour and relatively rich hinterland, Honfleur profited from its strategic position from the start of the Hundred Years’ War. The town’s defences were strengthened by Charles V in order to protect the estuary of the Seine from
attacks by the English. This was supported by the nearby port of Harfleur. However, Honfleur was taken and occupied by the English in 1357 and from 1419 to 1450. When under French control, raiding parties often set out from the port to ransack the English coasts, this included the Siege of Sandwich in 1457 when a force of around 4,000 men from Honfleur, under the command of Pierre de Brézé, Marshal of France, came ashore to pillage the town, in the process murdering the Mayor, John Drury. It thereafter became an established tradition, which survives to this day, that the Mayor of Sandwich wears a black robe as a mark of respect.
At the end of the Hundred Years’ War, Honfleur benefited from the boom in maritime trade until the end of the 18th century. Trade was disturbed during the wars of religion in the 16th century. The port saw the departure of a number of explorers, in particular in 1503 voyage of Binot Paulmierde Gonneville to the coasts of Brazil. In 1506, local man Jean Denis departed for Newfoundland island and the mouth of the Saint Lawrence Seaway.
An expedition in 1608, organised by Samuel de Champlain, founded the city of Quebec in modern-day Canada.
After 1608, Honfleur thrived on trade with Canada, the West Indies, the African coasts and the Azores. As a result, the town became one of the five principal ports for the slave trade in France. During this time the rapid growth of the town saw the demolition of its fortifications on the orders of Jean-Baptiste Colbert who served as the Minister of the Navy of France from 1669-1683.
The wars of the French Revolution and the First Empire, and in particular the continental blockade, caused the ruin of Honfleur. It only partially recovered during the 19th century with the trading of wood from northern Europe. Trade was however limited by the silting up of the entrance to the port and development of the modern port at Le Havre. The port however still functions today.
After the Normandy landings, Honfleur was liberated together by the British army – 19th Platoon of the 12th Devon’s, 6th Air Landing Brigade, the Belgian army (Brigade Piron) on 25 August 1944, and the Canadian army without any combat
What’s happening in the Sandwich Honfleur Twinning Association?
The second film night of 2025 will be on Wednesday 19th February when we’ll be showing ‘Un Singe en Hiver’ – this was originally scheduled as the
November film but had to be swapped with ‘Indochine’. You’ll find all other dates and titles of SHTA film nights from March to June, usually on the middle Wednesday of each month, on our website and in your Member’s Card.
‘Un Singe en Hiver’ is a 1962 French film directed by Henri Verneuil . A comedy-drama adapted from the novel of the same name by Antoine Blondin , this classic of French cinema notably stars Jean Gabin and Jean-Paul Belmondo .
In the throes of World War II, French innkeeper Albert Quentin (Jean Gabin) vows to stay away from alcohol if he and his wife and child survive. Many years later, Albert and his family are thriving in their small resort town of Normandy, and Albert has kept his promise to himself. However, when advertising professional Gabriel Fouquet (Jean-Paul Belmondo) comes to town, the limits of Albert’s fortitude are tested due to the young man’s charming disposition and penchant for alcohol.
If you’d like to reserve your place for our film in February please send an email to stuartpjones100@yahoo.co.uk. Admission to film nights remains at £7.50 per head and priority will be given to members who book in advance. You can pay in advance online to SHTA, account number: 42027168; sort code: 30-90-09. Alternatively, you can pay by cash or card on the night at the cinema.
At the time of drafting this Newsletter there are 135 days until our Group Visit to Honfleur betweenThursday 19th and Sunday 22nd June 2025 – however we have already reached the number required for the exchange visit and we are now on to a Reserve List.
If you would like to be added to the Reserve List please contact our Chairman at stuartpjones100@yahoo.co.uk
The cost for the visit, which will include travel by coach and Tunnel crossing, group visits and accommodation with hosts in Honfleur for three nights, will be just £140.00 per head.
Those that have already booked will experience the 43rd edition of the ‘Fête de la Musique’ on Saturday 21st June – other highlights for this year include sojourns to Étretat on the outward journey and Le Touquet on the return along with an excursion to Bayeux to see the famous tapestry and an opportunity to take in the Mora Museum which is the venue for the reconstruction of William the Conqueror’s flagship of the same name (the largest and fastest ship in his invasion fleet of 700 or more ships).
That’s it for now, nos amis ; we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Empire Cinema on 19th February
Bien Amicalement
Mark, Stuart, and the Committee.