The idea of pairing the town with Bergerac, which is located on the banks of the Dordogne River, was first suggested last year with the aim of strengthening connections between the UK and France, given the large British population in the region.
Bergerac is a picturesque town in the Dordogne department of south western France, known for its beautiful medieval old town, historic bridges and connection to the legendary Cyrano de Bergerac.
A renowned centre for wine production, it is set in the heart of the Périgord Pourpre region, and is also celebrated for its fine gastronomy, with attractions like the Wine Museum and a vibrant market showcasing regional products such as foie gras.
The link is being hailed as the start of a ‘tale of two towns’.
Samantha Brewin, a longtime Franco-British resident of Bergerac, proposed Dursley as a twinning partner in November last year, and the idea quickly gained momentum.
After a presentation to Dursley Town Council in December, followed by meetings with residents in February and March, the first official contact between the two towns was made via video call on May 19 this year.
Samantha, who spearheaded the twinning, said: “The seed was planted in 2024 when I thought how was it possible, that with a British population of 15,000 to 20,000 residents in the Dordogne, there was no twinning yet in place?
“A task was set to finding a partner town.
“We turned to the West Country – where I grew up, and where a close family member lives.
“Having long been a Franco-British resident of Bergerac, I proposed Dursley as the twinning partner in November 2024.
“Things moved quickly and after a presentation to Dursley Town Council in December, followed by meetings with residents in February and March, the first official contact between the two towns was held by video in May.
“That was the start of the adventure.”
The twinning is built around ‘3 Ws’ – Walking, Wine and Water.
Both towns have a strong walking culture, with Dursley hosting an annual walking festival and the Camino de Santiago passing through Bergerac.
Cotswold vineyards, encouraged by the region’s changing climate, were also a connecting factor.
Finally, both towns are closely linked to water, with Bergerac crossed by the Dordogne river and Dursley by the Ewelme/Cam river.
Since the initial contact, many connections have been established between the two communities, with joint projects already in the pipeline.
These include concerts in Bergerac featuring jazz and the Dursley Male Voice Choir, as well as sporting exchanges in rugby and walking all planned for 2026.
Both towns, with their rich heritage and cultural traditions, are keen to develop cultural exchanges, establish educational partnerships between schools and colleges, and showcase each other’s tourism and gastronomy.
In August, a small official Bergerac delegation, including the mayor of Bergerac Jonathan Prioleaud visited Dursley.
The group was warmly welcomed by Dursley mayor Alex Stennett and members of the community who are actively involved in the twinning project.
The delegation spent two days touring Dursley, taking in the historic market place, St James’ church, the bowling club and the Heritage Centre.
They also visited the award-winning Old Spot Inn, the surrounding countryside and the Woodchester Valley Vineyard.
The visit concluded with a stop at Leaf and Ground for presentations before a warm welcome at Dursley Rugby Club and a barbecue cooked by the Dursley Lions.
The Dursley Male Voice Choir entertained the crowd with songs and sea shanties.
Samantha said of the visit to Dursley: “This was more than just a tour of the town and region, we were received with great warmth by the whole working group.
“Twinning is above all a human experience.
“From the very first evening, we were welcomed.”
A month later, in September, it was Dursley’s turn to visit Dordogne.
The group from Dursley arrived at Bergerac airport on Saturday, September 20, and the two groups celebrated the bicentenary of Bergerac’s Old Bridge.
The visit included a trip to Dordonha, a museographic space dedicated to the heritage and culture of Périgord, a boat trip, and lunch at Ladesvignes, a family-owned wine estate.
On the Monday, after a tour of the city and a visit to an English class in an elementary school, the twinning charter was officially signed by the two mayors
Cllr Stennett said: “It was my great pleasure to sign the twinning agreement between Dursley and Bergerac, France.
“We spent the prior weekend in Bergerac being shown some of the many impressive projects being worked on as well as meeting the associations for the other five twinnings that Bergerac have taken on.
“It was really reassuring to see what we have in common as well as our differences we can learn from.
“I am reassured that there is a bright future for the schools, choirs and the multitude of organisations we have for education, cultural and sporting exchanges.
“I can also state with confidence, and from personal experience, that anyone spending time in Bergerac will be warmly welcomed, entertained, well fed and may well enjoy an excellent glass of wine (or three!).”
Plans are already under discussion for various joint concerts in 2026, including the Dursley Big Band at the Jazz Pourpre Festival in May, and possibly the Rednock Swing Band in July.
One of the aims of the twinning is to encourage people to visit both towns.
Anyone interested in joining the Dursley-Bergerac Twinning working group can contact the town council or email dursleytwinning@gmail.com
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