By bike to Montataire: Finsterwald Mayor sets signs!

By bike to Montataire: Finsterwald Mayor sets signs!

About a month after returning from her impressive bike tour to France, Mayor Jörg Gampe and business promoter Torsten Drescher from Finsterwalde review the experiences. At the beginning of July, the two sports enthusiasts broke up for a trip, which led over 1310 kilometers to the partner cities of Eppelborn in Saarland and Montataire in France. On July 17, 2025, they finally reached Montataire, where they expected a warm welcome.

The starting shot was found in Finsterwalde in the early morning. The route led them through picturesque places such as Doberlug-Kirchhain, Leipzig, and Eisenach before crossing the German border. A stopover in Eppelborn was also planned: there they were welcomed on July 10 by Eppelborn's Mayor Andreas Feld and the first deputy Christian Ney and took part in Habach on the 18th Saarland center. These sporting encounters under the motto "Tour of the Amis" not only promote the exchange, but also demonstrate the living connections between the cities.

friendship on two wheels

The last stage of the bike tour took place in Montataire. Here Laurence Lucaux and Patrick Hoogewys accompanied the two cyclists on the last 40 kilometers and ensured smooth reception. The urban partnership and the friendship between Finsterwalde and Montataire were recognized with a symbolic gesture: Gampe and Drescher received a yellow jersey inspired by the famous Tour de France. This reception took place in the town hall, where they were warmly welcomed by the deputy mayor Patrick Boyer and members of the city twinning association.

This initiative shows that personal encounters in town twinning are invaluable. The direct connection between the citizens of both cities is strengthened by such actions. It becomes clear: Cities partnerships are not only political agreements, but also living networks that combine cultures and friendships.

A look beyond the borders

city twinning such as those between Finsterwalde and Montataire are announced all over Germany and in international metropolises. Not only smaller cities, but also large capitals such as Berlin use these connections to promote exchange in areas such as business, science and culture. Berlin maintains partnerships with 19 cities worldwide to offer citizens a specific benefit. Events such as seminars, cultural exchange and youth exchanges are just a few examples of this. In Berlin, the exchange is particularly important to strengthen various international and intercultural relationships.

While the bike tour was coming to an end, the journey of the two Finsterwalder accompanied the great importance of encounters and friendship across national borders. Mayor Gampe and Wirtschaftsförderer Drescher not only demonstrated their endurance, but also set a strong sign for the lively city partnership between Finsterwalde and Montataire.