Important dates in the history of Franco-German rapprochement:

1953 : 28 mayors from Burgundy make contact with their counterparts in the Rhineland-Palatinate region and visit the area.

1957 : The Burgundy-Rhineland-Palatinate Association is set up in Dijon.

1959 : Twinning of Santenay with Bacharach in the presence of Canon Kir; Mr Pelletret, Deputy Mayor of Dijon; Mr Mussillon, President of the Burgundy-Rhineland-Palatinate Association; Mr Chaussin, Mayor of Santenay; and the President of the Santenay Tourist Office.

Santenay was the third town in Burgundy to be twinned with a German town.

The 40th anniversary of this twinning arrangement was celebrated during the visit of our German friends in April 1999. Mr Dany Dubromel, Mayor of Santenay, welcomed Ms Wasum, Mr Bastian and Mr Miessmer, three of the four mayors of Bacharach who were in office during this forty-year twinning period, to the town.

The twin towns have had an official meeting every year since 1959, held alternately in Germany and France. Tourism, official receptions and gastronomic events always form an important part of these occasions.