Exchange trip to Dardilly: 8-12 April 2026
The next twinning visit will be to Dardilly between the 8th and 12th April 2026 and the Dardilly association are asking for proposed attendees for this.
Suggestions for our next visit to Dardilly include:
- trip to Annecy;
- visit to Musee de la Miniature (if we have children on trip);
- trip to Chateau de Fléchères (once owned by Protestant nobleman).
More details coming soon…
Past Exchange Trips
Exchange Trip to Chorleywood: 23-27 April 2025
Our biennial exchange visit by the Dardilly Twinning Association to Chorleywood took place 23rd-27th April.
The Chorleywood committee arranged a programme of events for the trip whilst also ensuring there was sufficient free time for guests and their hosts to “do their own thing”. It’s not necessary for visitors or their hosts to join in all the events on the programme. We concluded the event with a soirée for hosts, visitors and other resident members. Photos to follow…
Exchange Trip to Dardilly: 10-14 April 2024
Following another very successful visit to Dardilly this spring, here is an article written by Kathy Walton about the trip, released in the local magazine Chorleywood News:
Entente Cordiale For Twinning Association
In the week that France and Britain celebrated 120 years of Entente Cordiale, 12 residents joined a four-day trip to Chorleywood’s twin town of Dardilly, near Lyons.
Among the highlights were a guided tour of Lyons’ former silk-making district; and a river cruise (Lyons is at the confluence of the Saône and the Rhone).
Some people also visited the village of Oingt in the nearby Beaujolais wine region; the Château de la Roche and the newly restored Château de Fléchères, once home to French Protestant grandees.
One the final evening, the Dardilly hosts organised a soirée with for their guests, with entertainment provided by a cabaret chanteuse.
Richard Foster, membership secretary of the Twinning Association said: ‘We all had a marvellous time, a chance to improve our French, make new friends, catch up with old ones and see the beautiful city of Lyons and its surroundings, in glorious sunshine.’ Chorleywood has been twinned with Dardilly for more than 25 years and organises regular exchange visits, as well as several social activities in Chorleywood throughout the year.
October 2023: Trip by Dardillois to Chorleywood
This last visit was packed with trips and events on each of the 4 days, culminating in a musical soiree with musical entertainment from local musicians including French songs at Chorleywood golf club.
Trips included:
- Harrow School
- Churchill War Rooms
- Tower of London
- Guided walk ‘discovering Soho’ (known as the French Quarter in 19C) with French commentary
- Waddesdon Manor
December 2022: Trip to Dardilly to visit Lyon Festival of Lights
This first exchange trip since Covid coincided with the renowned “Fête des Lumières” in Lyon. We visited the festival in Lyon to see the magical light installations and projections that bring the whole city to life.
Another evening we attended the annual Dardilly Twinning party with delicious home-made dishes (including traditional Christmas pudding made by Dardillois) with music and dancing. There was an interesting visit to the Tutankhamun touring exhibition and our last evening coincided with the England v France quarter final of the World Cup, a chance to brush up on some football vocabulary!
Previous visits
Other excursions on previous trips to Dardilly have included:
- Wine tasting in Beaujolais;
- Lunch on a barge on the Rhone;
- A visit to the “Valrhona” chocolate factory;
- A visit to “Le Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval” Google it!
Chorleywood Twinning Association 