Poirot’s little grey cells inspire a new Devon and Belgium twinning link

A little grey-cell thinking has turned one of fiction’s enduring mysteries into a very real European friendship. Two communities linked by Hercule Poirot are preparing to become symbolic twins in the centenary year of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, with a formal ceremony planned for September. The partnership brings together Agatha Christie’s own story with the tantalising fragments of her celebrated detective’s fictional past.

Torbay, the Devon birthplace of Agatha Christie, and the Belgian town of Spa have agreed to establish a symbolic twinning arrangement celebrating their connections to Poirot. The English Riviera, including Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, is recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark, while Spa is one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. According to those behind the initiative, neither Torbay nor Spa has previously had a twin town in the other’s country.

The link reaches back to Christie’s experiences during the First World War, when Belgian refugees arrived in Torquay. Christie later wrote in her 1977 autobiography that encounters with Belgian refugees while she was serving as a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse helped inspire her creation of Hercule Poirot. Another literary thread emerges in The Big Four, in which Poirot and Captain Hastings find themselves at a villa close to Spa in Wallonia, in the province of Liège, a setting which has encouraged speculation about the detective’s family home.

The timing also carries particular significance for Christie readers. This year marks a century since the publication of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd in 1926, one of the author’s best-known novels and a book credited in the announcement with helping to establish Poirot as an international literary phenomenon. The proposed twinning adds a real-world chapter to a fictional story that has connected Devon and Belgium for generations.

James Prichard, Agatha Christie’s great-grandson and chief executive of Agatha Christie Limited, said: “There is much mystery around Hercule Poirot’s family and early years in Belgium, not least where he was born and spent his childhood.

“Spa certainly plays a part in his life story, and linking it with Torbay in this way feels a fitting tribute to the great Belgian detective.”

The initiative emerged through discussions surrounding a collaboration between Agatha Christie Limited and mystery mobile game June’s Journey, developed by Berlin-based studio Wooga. Hercule Poirot was introduced into the game this year as part of an anniversary collaboration, with June’s Journey then helping to facilitate discussions between representatives of Torbay and Spa. Civic leaders on both sides of the Channel subsequently backed the idea of establishing the symbolic link.

Ben O’Donnell, game director at June’s Journey, said: “At June’s Journey, we are passionate about bringing great mystery stories to life in new ways.

“When we partnered with Agatha Christie Limited to welcome Hercule Poirot into the world of June’s Journey, we hoped to create a memorable celebration of one of fiction’s greatest detectives.”

Ben added: “What makes this project so special is that it has extended beyond the game itself.

“The shared story of Agatha Christie’s hometown of Torbay and the Belgian town of Spa has now inspired a symbolic twinning between two real communities.

“To see a collaboration that began with storytelling and entertainment help create a lasting connection between two towns is tremendously rewarding.

“We are delighted that June’s Journey has played a part in bringing Torbay and Spa together during this landmark year for Poirot.”

For Torbay, the agreement offers another way of celebrating a writer whose life and work remain closely connected to the English Riviera. Representatives from Spa are due to travel to Torquay during the Agatha Christie Festival in September, when civic leaders from the two communities are expected to commemorate the twinning with a special signing ceremony. Those involved hope the relationship will also strengthen wider cultural ties between the UK and Belgium.

Cllr Jackie Thomas, cabinet member for tourism and culture at Torbay Council, said: “Hercule Poirot may be a fictional character, but his story has created a very real connection between Torbay and Spa.

“Agatha Christie drew inspiration from Belgian refugees she encountered in Torquay during the First World War before going on to create one of the most beloved characters in literary history.”

Cllr Thomas added: “A century after The Murder of Roger Ackroyd established Poirot as a global phenomenon, it is fitting that his legacy should help bring our communities together.

“We look forward to welcoming our friends from Spa to Torbay later this year to mark this unique occasion.”

Spa’s involvement gives the project its other half, drawing on a literary connection that is less familiar than Christie’s association with Torquay. Although Poirot’s precise birthplace and childhood remain part of the mystery surrounding the character, Spa has become associated with his Belgian background through the references contained in Christie’s work. The new relationship will formally celebrate those connections while bringing together two destinations already known for their heritage.

Alda Greoli, who is in charge of culture and history at Spa Council, said: “Spa is honoured to take part in this twinning arrangement and to celebrate our unique connection to Hercule Poirot.

“Although Poirot is a fictional character, he remains one of Belgium’s most famous cultural ambassadors.”

Alda added: “This initiative highlights the enduring international appeal of Agatha Christie’s work and demonstrates how literature can continue to build bridges between communities.

“We look forward to visiting Torbay in September and celebrating this special relationship together.”

The idea also gives a modern twist to a tradition with deep roots in post-war Europe. Town twinning grew after the Second World War as communities sought to build friendships and understanding across national borders, leading to cultural exchanges, school visits and civic partnerships between thousands of towns. Formal twinning has become less prominent in recent decades, but the Poirot project uses a shared piece of literary heritage to create a new connection between the two communities.

The June’s Journey collaboration itself was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s death, with a three-month in-game mystery experience beginning in April. The story paired Christie’s Hercule Poirot with the game’s fictional amateur detective June Parker, bringing together characters associated with the Golden Age atmosphere of the 1920s. June’s Journey says 90% of its players identify as women, while its stories combine hidden-object gameplay with mystery and deduction.

Further information about Agatha Christie Limited can be found at agathachristielimited.com, while details of June’s Journey are available at www.junesjourney.com.