Burlington and Honfleur are proud to share over a decade of intercultural connections, conversations, and collaborations. Born of important historic ties, our friendship is founded on the shared desire to foster understanding and mutually productive engagement between officials and citizens of our two vibrant communities.

Today’s tie between Burlington and Honfleur began in 2009, inspired by the quadricentennial of Samuel de Champlain’s arrival in 1609 at the lake that now bears his name. On his dozen voyages to New France, the French navigator, cartographer, and explorer frequently embarked from the port city of Honfleur. And during some of those voyages, as he traversed the lake, he sailed past its eastern shore, where the city of Burlington now stands.

Today Burlington and Honfleur are both dynamic centers of artistic and cultural activity; popular regional, national, and international tourist destinations; and hosts to diverse local businesses, as well as larger commercial enterprises. We have much in common, while also having much to learn from each other. We have jointly organized multiple visits and exchanges involving elected officials, students, artists, and other residents of both regions. In 2019, Burlington and Honfleur signed a formal Sister City Charter.