BURLINGTON...ARTICLE DU CONSULAT GENERAL DE FRANCE A BOSTON

The Newest Sister Cities of New England and France: Burlington and Honfleur

Since signing a charter of friendship in July 2013, the Sister Cities of Burlington, Vermont and Honfleur, France have made their newly minted alliance a top priority. In April 2014, scouts from Troop 602 in Burlington stopped in Honfleur during a trip to Normandy, where they participated in a busy itinerary arranged by the Sister City Committee of Honfleur and took part in a baseball game against middle school students from the collège Alphonse Allais. The scouts’ visit was declared the first official youth exchange between the two cities, and a commemorative plaque was presented to the people of Honfleur.

From June 3 to June 6, 2015, a delegation of students from Burlington High School visited Honfleur with their French teacher Ms. Catherine Tetu, staying with local host families to ensure that they were completely immersed in the honfleurais language and culture. Among other activities organized by Ms. Christine Mas of Honfleur, the students visited the lycée Albert Sorel and met students in the English classes of Ms. Tiphaine Gris.

Just two weeks later, from June 19 to June 24, 2015, a group of 21 Burlington residents led by Dana and Marc vanderHeyden, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and his wife, and celebrated Vermont artist Sabra Field traveled to Honfleur for an exhibition of Ms. Field’s art organized by Burlington City Arts. The trip also included the inauguration of “Burlington Square” on the rue du Vermont by Honfleur Mayor Michel Lamarre, Mayor Weinberger and La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur Mayor Michel-Olivier Mathieu.