Frome Twinning Association

Frome's Twinning Tradition

Frome was officially twinned with Château-Gontier, in Mayenne, France in 1975, and with Murrhardt in Baden Württemberg, Germany in 1983. Although the Twinning ceremonies themselves were official events and took place at civic level, they opened the way for many different twinning opportunities to take place between the peoples of the three towns over the following years.The official twinning with Rabka-Zdrόj, Poland, followed in 2009 and meant that the four towns were all twinned together.
The most tangible evidence of the success of Frome's association with its partners is the wide variety of exchange visits which take place. There are formal civic events, but social ones arranged between organisations or individuals within the town vastly outnumber these. Over the years these have included trips by several schools, by churches, by the emergency services, by youth organisations, by clubs and often simply by small groups of individuals or families. The Frome Twinning Association was set up by the amalgamation of two associations that served twinning arrangements with Château-Gontier and Murrhardt, and today exists to promote twinning between the four partner towns. It is our principal aim to help and enable individuals or organisations to enjoy the rich and rewarding experience which visiting or hosting a twin town can bring. The Association is served by a small committee which administers the formal requirements of the Association, and assists the Town Council with its Twinning role.
On behalf of members it arranges and organises the "official" visits to and from the partner towns, helps and advises organisations and individuals with twinning matters, seeks to find accommodation in Frome for visitors from the twin towns and liaises with those towns to arrange accommodation for visitors from Frome.

Our French twin town is situated between Laval and Angers, in the region of Mayenne, on the river Mayenne. With a population of 18,000 it is a beautiful, interesting town which can make a good centre for touring the region and the Loire valley. It was founded around 1007 by the Count of Anjou when he built a castle to defend a strategic river crossing on the borders of his domain. He put the castle in charge of one of his officers, Renaud Gontier, hence Le Château de Gontier, later to be condensed to Château-Gontier.

It is a flower-decked town which has received many prizes. There are even huge seasonal floral displays on the principal roundabouts, for example in autumn using autumn colours and harvest produce. On one bank of the river is the restful Murrhardt Garden, and on the other the colourful Frome Garden, with floral mosaics and a St Aldhelm plaque presented by Frome's mayor of that time to mark the 25th anniversary of our twinning. At this point the river is very wide and navigable, the town stretching along both sides with two grand bridges joining the two parts.The Mayenne is a tributary of the Loire and many boats travel along it. Many water sports are practised on the river, including canoeing, rowing, sailing, wind-surfing and water-skiing, as well as fishing. Alongside the river is a swimming pool with a sliding roof and a sun-deck.

Just as in Frome, there are many old streets and buildings, the oldest being the church and priory of St Jean-Baptiste, built in the 11th century, with others spanning the centuries: churches, chapels, hotels, inns, a pillory square, parts of the original ramparts, as well as narrow streets of half-timbered houses. Even the hospital is housed in the refurbished Saint-Julien church, built in the 13th century, using the main door of the church with its beautiful stained-glass windows as a grand entrance. Les Ursulines Convent, around 350 years old, has been transformed into a cultural centre, with a school of music, dance and visual arts, together with a theatre/ conference hall. The Tourist Information office is now based here.
To find out more about Château-Gontier, please visit their website

 Rabka-Zdrój is also popular among holiday-makers and tourists, both in summer and wintertime. It attracts campers and hikers with its picturesque mountainous location and many hiking trails; it also welcomes those keen on cycling or horse-riding. In wintertime the snow cover period is ideal for skiing and there is even a toboggan-run. Sleigh rides are a wonderful attraction and a great way to get to know Rabka-Zdrój and its surroundings.
For further information, visit the town's website  or take a drone's-eye view over the town here