2024 - THE FRENCH CONNECTION

The Entente cordiale (Friendly Agreement) was signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and France mainly because both countries were worried that their growing empires would cause a war between them. Formally entitled a Declaration, it amounted more than anything, to friendship between two great European powers.

It is easy to forget that for a long time, the ruling class of England was French (thanks to the Normans). The dual monarchy of England and France existed during the latter phase of the Hundred Years’ War when Charles V11 of France and Henry V1 of England disputed the succession to the throne of France. In the end Charles was victorious and his reign, from 1422 until 1461, saw the end of the Hundred Years’ War and the English claim to the French throne. Today we are allies, and this year our two nations acknowledge 120 years of friendship.

It is also worth mentioning that Otford and Neufchatel-Hardelot, a small village of 3,900 people on the Pas-de-Calais coast, agreed to become “twins” and the Twinning Charters were signed on 17 September 2011 in France and in Otford on 31 March 2012.