Fredericksburg has been in a long-distance relationship with the port city of Frejus, France, for over 44 years.
What began as a way to bridge the gap between nations as a post-war endeavor by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, known as the Sister Cities International Initiative, has led to a kinship and close relationship between the two cities.
Fredericksburg’s ties to France go back even further, though. Some of the first arrivals in the region were the Maury and Marye families, a group of Huguenots (French Protestants) who settled in the region. Then in 1824, the Marquis de Lafayette made his first visit on his way to Richmond.
More than 200 years later, Francois Leotard, the mayor of the French city of Frejus, visited Fredericksburg with his wife and solidified the sister-city relationship.
That relationship is nurtured through an annual student exchange by the Fredericksburg Sister City Association. In even-numbered years Frejus students come to Fredericksburg and in odd-numbered years Fredericksburg students go to France.
The Free Press caught up with the 12 students during their 10-day visit to the region, which included a Bastille Day celebration in Hurkamp Park, tubing on the Rappahannock River, a trip to Washington, D.C. and Williamsburg, a day at Lake Anna, visits to local businesses and restaurants, a FredNats baseball game and a day at an amusement park.
“Fredericksburg is a lot bigger than Frejus, with a lot more buildings and it’s very busy,” said Maxime, a student from Frejus. “But the food is a lot sweeter, too, which is a nice change. I really loved going to the water park in Kings Dominion and riding the rollercoasters.”
The Frejus students arrived on July 12 and departed Wednesday.
“It’s been a lot of fun hosting Maxime and showing him all over town and what it’s like living in America,” said Darik King, a King George High School student whose family hosted the exchange student. “We spent a day in Lake Anna on the water and also toured the Smithsonian museums in D.C. along with the monuments.”
The students returned to France Wednesday with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. They learned some of America’s customs and endured weather different from their homeland.
“The accent here in America is funny to me because we learn British English at home, so it’s different,” said Roxane, a student. “I love how the people here are so sweet and chill compared to home, but I was not prepared for this humidity.”
