Dear SHTA Members and Friends,
Hopefully, you’ve had a wonderful Summer and you’re looking forward, as we all are, to another full and exciting programme of events throughout the SHTA season for 2026-2027. There’ll be many old favourites and a few new additions. These will be brought to you by a new Committee, four of whom are making their debut: we welcome Tony Hilton as Treasurer, and Alison Farmer, Alison Hilton and Ruth Horton as Committee members. We’re looking forward to all four bringing fresh energy, ideas and even relative youth!
First of all, here is Vice-Chair, Mark Moorhouse’s introduction:
“The main headline event in Honfleur in September 2026 is the 26th Festival Estuaire d’en Rire, a popular comedy festival running from 8th September to 13th September.
The event is held primarily at the historic Greniers à Sel in Honfleur, with a closing show in nearby Beuzeville and features prominent French-language comedians and stand-up acts such as Alex Vizorek, Yann Guillarme, Ana Godefroy, and Gérémy Crédeville
The event features backstage guided tours, emerging talent showcases (Honfleur Comedy Club), and local art exhibitions.
The Normandie Impressionniste Festival concludes its 6th edition on 27th Sept. featuring closing events and contemporary garden-themed exhibitions across Normandy.
• Closing Weekend (25th to 27th September): Final celebrations feature special literary meetings, readings, and debates on botany and art at spaces such as the L’Armitière bookstore in Rouen.
• Impressionist Escapes (20th to 27th Sept.): A final cultural and linguistic immersion week organized by the Alliance Française de Normandie.
• Contemporary Trail: Ongoing outdoor and indoor contemporary art installations themed around “Un Possible Jardin” (The Gardens of Possibilities) across cities such as Rouen, Le Havre, Honfleur, and Vernon until the festival closes.The 969th Foire de Lessay (Foire millénaire Sainte-Croix) will take place from Friday, 11th to Sunday 13th Sept. in Lessay (Département de la Manche).
This is a historic, millenary agricultural and popular festival—and the second-largest fair in France. Spanning three days, it transforms the small town of Lessay and typically attracts around 250,000 to 350,000 visitors.
The event was founded circa 1056 by Benedictine monks from the Lessay Abbey.
Origins and Growth
• 11th Century: Established by the monks of the Abbey Sainte-Trinité de Lessay on the local heath to encourage trade and commerce.
• 1186: Pope Urban III issued a papal bull referencing prior donations to the abbey, which included revenues tied to the fair.
• 15th–16th Centuries: The marketplace expanded across regional trade networks.
Royal Recognition and Modern Era:
• 1671: King Louis XIV issued a royal edict officially confirming the fair and extending its duration.
- 1771: Recognised as the most important fair in the area of Lower Normandy by the historical almanac of the Diocese of Coutances.
- Post-Revolution: Management and organisation shifted from monastic oversight to local municipal authorities.
- 1880–1902: The animal “montre” exhibition was introduced, drawing tens of thousands of livestock and horses by the early 20th century.The event features over 1,500 exhibitors providing local gastronomy, traditional crafts, and rural culture.
- Agricultural Show: Livestock competitions (including Normandy cobs, Percherons, and dairy cows), animal parades, and a dedicated horse village.
- Exhibitions: Extensive displays of agricultural machinery, local crafts, and innovations hosted alongside the Normandy Chambers of Agriculture.
- Food & Entertainment: The famous Allée des Rôtisseurs featuring traditional food, plus a large funfair with a Ferris wheel running late into the night. Just one week after Sandwich hosts the annual Heritage Open Days during the weekend of Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September the European Heritage
- Days/Journées du Patrimoine will be taking place across the whole of France. Offering free admission and special access to historic sites, museums, cultural venues, & hidden locations usually closed to the public across Normandy.Key Events and Highlights for 2026:
- Conches-en-Ouche: Musée du Verre François Décorchemont opens its doors for tours, immersive exhibits, and live performances
- Caen: The Banque de France opens for special guided tours, alongside free entry to the Caen la mer Tourism network featuring the Normandy Museum and Caen Memorial.
- Englesqueville-en-Auge: A special guided tour and exhibition at the Normandy Studio of painter André Hambourg.
- Falaise:The Falaise Memorial offers free admission to its permanent and temporary exhibitions on civilians in WWII.
- Orbec: Discover half-timbered architecture and local art at the Musée du Vieux Manoir d’Orbec.
- Bayeux & Honfleur: Explore Gothic architecture at the Notre-Dame de Bayeux or the historic maritime blockhouses and bell towers in Honfleur.
- The Foire Internationale de Caen: which opens on 1st Sept. and concludes on 18th Sept., is a major annual trade and consumer exhibition which combines international commerce, live entertainment, and lifestyle exhibits. The 2026 theme is Italy, featuring a reconstructed Italian village and an immersion into the history and culture of Pompeii.”
Many thanks to Mark for the introduction above.
Before proceeding with news of upcoming events, I’d like to remind you that your SHTA membership subscription is due by the end of September. After many years at £12.50, it was agreed by the members at the recent AGM to raise this to £15.00 per head. Payment can be made online to SHTA, account number: 42027168; sort code: 30-90-09. Alternatively, you could pay in cash or by card at the Empire Cinema at this month’s film night. Please endeavour to do this asap.
September Film:
Speaking of which, our 2026-2027 film season starts on Wednesday 23rd September (not the 16th as you may have seen earlier), when we’ll be showing ‘La Cage aux Folles’, a crowd-pleasing, rollicking and heartwarming musical based on the 1973 French play of the same name. Released in 1978, the film was co-written and directed by Édouard Molinaro.
A synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes goes as follows:
“Renato (UgoTognazzi) and Albin (Michel Serrault) are happy that their son, Laurent, is getting married. Unfortunately, the bride’s father is a die-hard conservative … and Renato and Albin are rather conspicuously gay. To ensure that the marriage goes off without a hitch, Albin uses his skills as a drag performer to play mother for a meeting with the in-laws. But, before long, both men learn that playing it straight isn’t as easy as it seems!”
The film won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and Serrault was awarded the César for Best Actor. It was followed by two sequels and a 1996 American version called ‘Birdcage’ featuring Robin Williams. On Rotten Tomatoes it holds an approval rating of 92%.
As usual, if you’d like to reserve your place for our September film, please send me an email on stuartpjones100@yahoo.co.uk. Admission to film nights still 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, acc number: 42027168; sort code: 30-90-09. Alternatively, you can pay by cash or card on the night at the cinema. The cinema doors will, as normal, open at 7.00 pm with the film programme starting at 7.30 pm.
October Films:
As announced in the August Newsletter, our October film night will be a special occasion. On Wednesday 14th October, for the usual admission price, you’ll be able to see two films:
1) Firstly, we’ll be showing ‘The Empire and the Palace’, a film made by Richard Hetherington about the history of both the Empire Cinema Sandwich and the Palace Cinema Broadstairs. As many of you will know, it features 32 members of SHTA as Extras when a section of it was filmed back in November 2023. It would be great to have as many of those ‘film stars’ able to see themselves on the big screen! The doors will be open at 6.00 pm, and the Bar available, for a 6.15 pm start and this one lasts 73 minutes.
2) After a 15-minute break, our second film of the evening will start at 7.45 pm and, including a short intermission, finish around 9.30 pm. ‘La Fille sur le Pont’was released in 1999, this is a romantic-comedy starring Daniel Auteuil and Vanessa Paradis. A man and a woman realise, through various situations, that they are lucky only when together. But, the situation gets complicated as they get separated and have no money to reunite.
We hope that you’ll be able to come along to enjoy this special double-bill offer, but, of course, you’re welcome to watch just one if you prefer. If you want to watch only the first one, perhaps because you’re in it, there will be no charge.
If you enjoy coming to watch French films at The Empire, why not bring a friend or friends and introduce them to us and the whole experience!
Website:
You can see the full list of films, dates and other events for 2026-2027 on our website at sandwichhonfleurtwinning.org.uk. Also, on payment of your subscription, you’ll receive a Member’s Card for the new season with all activities and Committee members’ contact details.
Other Events for 2026-2027:
1) Picnic on the Quay: we’ll be aiming to have 2 of these during the year, the first, weather permitting, will be on Monday 21st September from 12.00 noon on the Quay Green. The second will be towards the end of May.
2) We are investigating the possibility of holding a Cheese & Wine Evening at Le Cap Café, Strand Street Sandwich, in October. Once confirmed, we’ll give you further details.
3) This year’s Christmas Lights Switch-On will be on Saturday 28th November which will, as always, be the date for our now-traditional Vin Chaud Stand in the Guildhall Forecourt. If you’re able to help by doing an hour’s slot to serve cups and promote SHTA, it would be much appreciated. If so, please get in touch with Alison Hilton – contact details at the end of this newsletter.
4) Our final event of the calendar year will be our Christmas Dinner & Party which will take place at Luigi’s Restaurant Sandwich on Thursday 10th December. Arrival and complementary glass of fizz will be at 6.30 pm and the evening will end at 10.30 pm. Cost for this will be announced in the October newsletter, but please feel free to sign up for the Dinner as soon as possible.
5) Apart from 2027’s version of ‘Le Weekend’ which will take place next year on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th June (volunteers for this very welcome too), you’ll find out much more about activities planned for January to July in future newsletters. However, one we’d like you to take particular note of is:
The SHTA Group Visit to Honfleur in 2027
Next year’s trip promises to be an extra-special one: the town of Honfleur will be holding its Millenium celebrations all the way through from March to December to mark 1,000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror; 2027 has also been designated as the European Year of the Normans, so we’re sure to be treated to four exciting days.
Our visit will take place from Thursday 17th – Sunday 20th June and is only open to SHTA members. We’re giving you a full 10 months’ notice of this trip so that you can arrange your diary and any other commitments. However,it’s important that you let us know that you’d like to be included as soon as possible, and the deadline for letting us know and for payment will be Friday 16th April. As usual, we will be travelling by coach and staying with host families in Honfleur for 3 nights. The likely cost will be in the region of £150 per person.
Above is one of the medieval buildings in the charming artisan and craft quarter, filled with decorated half-timbered buildings, in the small town of Dives-sur-Mer, about 40 miles down the coast from Honfleur. The town was the departure point of Guillaume-le-Conquérant (William the Conqueror) and his fleet before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
There will be much more to tell you about in October’s newsletter, including the full list of films for the new season and the whole list of social events for 2026-2027. In the meantime do have a look at photos and info on our website. All of us on the new Committee look forward to seeing as many of you as possible very soon.
Best wishes, Stuart & the SHTA Committee.