La Valette du Var
France
The town of Valette du Var has been twin town of Villingen-Schwenningen since 1974/1975.
Already at the time of the Roman Empire the area was known as Vallis lata, 'the happy valley'. The Romans built a 'castrum', a fortified legionary camp, on whose walls the medieval city wall was founded. During the French Revolution the city had about 2,000 inhabitants. The population was mainly dedicated to agriculture and economic activities, which gave it identity and a certain prosperity.
La Valette is located east of Toulon, not far from the Mediterranean Sea. With about 23,000 inhabitants, the town is situated at the foot of the mighty mountain ranges and the lookout points 'Mont Faron' and 'Le Coudon'. With 4,500 inhabitants in 1945, La Valette has preserved the romantic townscape in its core, without neglecting the amenities of commercial and market settlements and hotel through new development areas.
What used to be a vegetable growing area is now characterized in particular by parks and gardens that are largely open to the public. A magnificent 18th century site is 'Le Domain de Baudouvin', which is now classified as a 'Jardin Remarquable', an important garden.
La Valette is surrounded by a green belt of Mediterranean character with pines, plane trees, olives, palms, agaves and much more. In a few minutes you can reach the neighboring villages La Garde - Le Pradet on the picturesque sea cliffs. This coastal strip with its many sandy beaches stretching eastward over Hyères to St. Tropez is perhaps the most beautiful of the entire French Riviera.
The Provençal markets known in the region invite you to a leisurely stroll. The Provencal cuisine and the good rosé wines are not to be scoffed at either, which of course taste particularly good on site.
More about the town twinning:
The partnership with La Valette was officially sealed in 1974 and 1975. As prisoners of war Schwenninger got to know the southern French landscape of the Var and soldiers from La Valette got to know the Black Forest. In the 1960s, peace-loving relations developed between the returnee associations, which have lasted until today. Numerous other association contacts were established and many activities in the youth sector, such as the youth exchange during the summer vacations. In particular, the Friends of La Valette, founded in 1992, and the Comité de Jumelage in La Valette are working to further intensify the partnership contacts. They have, for example, already carried out numerous citizen trips.
In the year 2004 the 30 year anniversary took place in Villingen-Schwenningen.