BBP Newsletter. May 2025: Students, Politicians, Rugby.

BBP Newsletter.

Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Bristol Bordeaux Partnership (BBP)  - April's edition. Today we reflect on a number of initiatives underway to promote greater twinning between Bristol and Bordeaux. 

Bristol University students off to Bordeaux 

The last day of May sees 6 students from Bristol University's Languages faculty off to Bordeaux for 2 weeks (pictured are last year's students whilst in Bordeaux).

Working closely with Chloe Laborde from Bristol University and with Marie France Burgain and Sandrine Cambeilh from Bordeaux University, and Valerie Bonnet from ABB, our sister twinning organisation in Bordeaux, BBP arranged once again for  6 language students to volunteer in 3 Bordeaux schools for 2 weeks.

We will tell you how it went in our next newsletter, but if the last few years are anything to go by they'll have a great time and learn a lot.

BBP invited to meet French politicians

At the invitation of Nada Hayward, the Honorary French Consul,  the Chair of BBP, Mike Healey was delighted to meet with Vincent Caure, Member of Parliament for French Nationals Abroad in the United Kingdom and Northern Europe.

On the agenda for the day was the situation of the Franco British Community post-Brexit, the French community of Bristol and the new ETA regulations

Mike also met with the Bristol City Council International Office, Tony Dyer Council Leader, and the Honorary Consuls of Belgium and Cyprus (see picture).

Bordeaux Rugby club "visiting"

The end of May saw the arrival of the Bordeaux Begles rugby club as they took on Northampton for the Champions Cup.

Our own Thomas Sanchis - a Bordelais himself - and Valerie Bonnet from the Association Bordeaux Bristol, our sister twinning organisation in Bordeaux were in Cardiff cheering on Bordeaux to their victory over Northampton Saints.

And the Mayor of Bordeaux Pierre Hurmic was there too (see picture). 

French Film Night

May saw the first of what we hope will be a regular French film night  - for members and non members alike.

Gill Hood arranged to show La Gloire de mon Pere at the Bristol Commonwealth building where, as well as watching the film by Yves Robert, everyone enjoyed some delicious nibbles and drinks from the bar.

Gill will be reaching out with suggestions for future film choices and we will use this newsletter to inform you of future film nights as soon as we've arranged them.

Bordeaux student visitors and a BBP Street Art tour 

Early in May a group of 19 students from the Prépa Section of Lycée Camille Jullian were here with 3 members of staff. It was a short visit, really just a long weekend, but with a very full programme. On the Friday evening they went straight from the airport to meet the Lord Mayor and have a short tour of City Hall. After spending the day in Bath on Saturday , they did a Bristol Street Art Tour with Thomas (pictured) on Sunday morning before going to the M-Shed and then on to a poetry event at the Arnolfini. On Monday they were planning to visit Clifton and the Suspension Bridge before heading back to the airport for their return flight so a very action-packed visit indeed, but they certainly seemed pleased to have been able to fit in so much when we met up with them on Sunday!

Another Bristol Bordeaux  "twinning" exchange

May saw the visit to Bordeaux of Bristol's most famous street artist, Banksy - well not in person but in an exhibition.

From May 3 to 18, 2025, the Banksy Modeste Collection was at La Cité Bleue, a free exhibition dedicated to the works and struggles of the street-artist Banksy.   This was an opportunity for La Cité Bleue and Le Garage Moderne to offer an exceptional programme around access to culture for all, highlighting the actors of Bacalan and Bordeaux: concerts, DJ sets, exhibitions, performances, workshops, animations, conferences, round tables, restorations, etc. For more information see the link here Banksy Bordeaux | Cite-Bleue

We hope that these updates on the recent activities of BBP are of interest and may even prompt you to want to become more involved and to help us with some of these initiatives. If you want to know more, please reply to this email. We'd love to be able to spread the message re twinning in general and Bristol's links with Bordeaux in particular.

A bientôt!

Mike Healey (Chair of BBP)  and Mark Atherton (Secretary)  for Bristol Bordeaux Partnership

www.bristolbordeaux.org