Some twenty Carballo residents made the trip from Galicia, including Manuel José, who is very attached to the town of L'Isle-Jourdain, where he worked as a Spanish language assistant in secondary school. He was also behind the first contacts between Carballo and L'Isle-Jourdain.

The Carballois were welcomed by families from L'Isle-Jourdain, who generously offered their hospitality to make their stay as pleasant as possible. For some, it was a time of reunion, while for others it was a time to get to know one another. The reunion was warm and moving after a 3-year break due to the health situation.

A variety of visits to the four corners of Occitanie

A rich and varied program awaited them. On Saturday afternoon, accompanied by host families, they took part in an escape game organized by the L'Isle-Jourdain tourist office, "L'Escapa deu Baselic", on Occitan culture, before an introduction to Occitan dances.

In the evening, they attended the much-appreciated Escota e Minja festival, where dinner was provided by the Comité de Twinning. The following days were devoted to a variety of visits: Moissac, Lauzerte, Cahors, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, Montségur, Puivert, Limoux with a visit to the cellars and a tasting of blanquette, Carcassonne, Toulouse with a visit to the Halle de la Machine and the Maison de la Violette...

The trip ended on Tuesday evening with a "despedida" buffet by the lake, with singing and dancing in an atmosphere of sharing and conviviality. Wednesday morning's departure for Carballo was emotionally charged, with the Lislois and Carballais singing "Adios con el corazon" and shedding a few tears...

The next meetings will take place next year, this time in Carballo.

Source: www.ladepeche.fr/