LMA Civic Visit to Northern France – July 2024
A fantastic four day civic tour of Northern France was undertaken by 40 members of the LMA. The first stop was Lille which acted as the group’s base.
LILLE
After a walking tour through the city, LMA members met the Deputy Mayor for combating discrimination andinternational and European relations, M. Jérôme Pianezza. A reception was held in our honour and we had the oppoprtunity to talk with M. Pianezza and members of his administration about their work in Lille.
Members were amazed by the fresco representing the history of France as rendered by the Icelandic artist, Erro.
The Deputy Mayor was presented with a silver salver as a token of the LMA’s thanks and friendship.
ARRAS
Arras was the destination for the second day of our tour. After a guided walk through historic Arras, members met the Deputy Mayor of Arras, M. Arnaud Michel. LMA Chairman, Steve Summers shared remarks with the Deputy Mayor and presented him with an LMA silver salver. After a beautiful lunch, members were brought to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Visitor Centre in Beaurains where everyone could observe the skills practiced to build and maintain the gravesites of British and Commonwealth soldiers.
Day 3 of the LMA civic tour was spent in Douai which was especially close to the former Mayors of Harrow as Douai is their twin city. We were all happy to cast our votes for the Beffroi & Carillon de Douai in the competition to find the best bell tower in France.
DOUAI
LMA Chairman, Steve Summers and First Deputy Mayor of Douai, Mme. Agnes Dupuis exchanged remarks and gifts. Former Harrow Mayor, Cllr Jean Lammiman with her husband, John Hinckley spoke of their borough’s long and deep friendship with the city.
Our visit was capped off with a very exclusive guided tour of the Louvre Lens. We were especially honoured to be greeted by the museum’s director. The Gallery of Time, curated by Jean-Luc Martinez, was the centrepiece of our visit – a single gallery in which 200 masterpieces stretching from the 4th millenium BC to the mid- 21st century chart the history of art.