Salford's twin towns
Salford has links with four European towns
Twinning agreements arise in different ways and there are different types of twinning. For example, some twinning agreements were signed as a result of appeals by national associations of local government and some, such as the one Salford has with Lünen in Germany, arise from existing contacts between groups within the community (in this case, miners).
There are different types of agreement. Most agreements are commitments to friendship and co-operation. They can be very limited - a civic exchange, for example. They can, as in Salford, be very broad and community-orientated. There has also been a recent development of twinning between British towns and those in developing countries where the emphasis is on technical assistance.
It is up to local authorities to establish their own criteria which are usually about similarity in size and function, resources available and existing links.
Lünen, Germany
Salford's twin town in Germany, Lünen, is at the centre of the country's economic heartland, between the major industrial areas of the Ruhrgebiet and Munsterland. Lünen was originally twinned with Swinton & Pendlebury in 1966.
Saint-Ouen, France
Saint-Ouen, on the river Seine, is famous for its seven collectors' markets. Only a short underground journey from the centre of Paris, Saint-Ouen was originally twinned with Worsley in 1961.
Clermont-Ferrand, France
The university town of Clermont-Ferrand is the capital of the Auvergne region of France, and is famous not only for its food but also for being the home of Michelin Tyres. The city lies at the start of a chain of extinct volcanoes and was originally twinned with Salford in 1966.
Narbonne, France
The beautiful town of Narbonne is traditionally a holiday town with lots of sun and is only a short drive away from the Mediterranean Sea and an 8km beach of golden sand. Narbonne, rich in heritage with an abundance of architecture and traditional festivals to attract visitors, was originally twinned with Eccles in 1957.
Who to contact
If you would like more information about Salford's twin towns or activities associated with the twinning, please email vin.joseph@salford.gov.uk or telephone 0161-793 3009.
This page was last updated on 3 October 2009
