The official town twinning has existed since 1982, and the first links between the two communities were established as early as 1979. At first, pupils and teachers from the two schools, the Collège Voltaire and the Adolf Reichwein School, met during exchange weeks. This was followed by meetings of citizens and associations. The founders and pioneers were, in addition to a number of committed citizens, above all the city councillor Rudi Rübsamen and, in Saint-Florent, the German teacher Jeanine Granger.

Saint-Florent-sur-Cher is a municipality located in the heart of the middle Loire Valley, in the Cher department. It is about 100 km south of Orléans and twenty kilometres from Bourges, the departmental capital.

Formerly a Gallo-Roman village, the commune of Saint-Florent-sur-Cher developed between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries and became a landed estate of great importance in the region. In the nineteenth century, with the construction of a viaduct and the arrival of the railway, the town took off and took on the appearance it still has today for its visitors.

This old mining and industrial town is full of charm and still displays a charming architectural heritage that bears witness to a rich and long history.

It is not far from the famous castles of the Loire and there are also other exceptional places to visit in the surrounding area, such as the Abbey of Noirlac, the birthplace of the writer George Sand Nohant and only 12 km away the city of Bourges. Its famous Saint Etienne Cathedral, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, is a masterpiece of architectural history. Many medieval half-timbered houses give the city a special flair and nature lovers will get their money’s worth in the Marais (marshlands).

The famous wine-growing regions of Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and Quincy are close by, and the region is also well worth a culinary visit.

The following links provide further insights into the partner municipality:

The official town page (in French): https://www.ville-saint-florent-sur-cher.fr/

You can read and browse digitally – also in French – in the city magazine “Le Florentais”: https://www.ville-saint-florent-sur-cher.fr/index.php/le-florentais
Tourist tips and suggestions can be found here: https://www.france-voyage.com/frankreich-stadte/saint-florent-sur-cher-3762.htm
Highly recommended for France fans and those who want to become one is the blog “Mein Frankreich.com” by Hilke Maunder. This link is about the region of our twin city municipality: https://meinfrankreich.com/berry/.

And the best thing is to be there at the next citizens’ meeting to get to know the country and its people personally.