MY HOME IS A CASTLE--the tale of how and why I became a chatelain , four times .This is my present home. If you are visiting for the first time you may care to read the older posts first.

Monday, March 23, 2009

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS

Sorry, I couldn't resist that one!

Apart from that horrid man (in previous post) we began to get to know the local people and made valuable friends , some of whom I still see from time to time. I remember Michel , the butcher! He had a van and went around the local villages on market days to sell his meat. What a character he was! He looked typically french with a droopy moustache and often wore a black beret for effect. He had made a horn ( of sorts) and attached a long rubber tubing to it and would swing it around rapidly making a sort of weird wailing sound. He could also play that horn, and very well, without the rubber tubing , of course!
Then there was Jacqueline and her family who lived just outside the village in such a pretty house. They had dug out and filled a huge lake on their property, what a setting that was. Not only was she our friend but she became our cleaner, and I don't know what I would have done without her. When we finally sold la Roche hue, she stayed on with the new owners and only retired from there about two years ago. We also became very friendly with our Notaire , our insurance agent and our electrician and their wives and families. François , is still my Notaire and we meet often.

The local village was small and pretty and had a lovely old church ( 13th century) whose bell we would hear tolling, from the Chateau. Below is a postcard picture from 18/19th century, I think.




Apart from the church there was a small alimentation ( food shop) Bar ( of course) Boulangerie ( of course) and a post office and that was it! If you were driving through the village and blinked you would have missed it! ( I know - old joke!).

Below is a picture of a family member cutting the grass at the rear of the Chateau, and you can just see the village in the background.




Little did I know it at the time, by my daughter would be getting married in the lovely old church!

19 comments:

  1. so pretty! i can't wait until i have time to read your earlier entries! we were over in paris in 2000 and loved it but didn't have time to explore the country. i hear it is wonderful and a better way to experience the culture. i love your blog!

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  2. hahah, love the cartoon and also enjoyed reading this newest update. What a great postcard that is... Can't wait to hear more!

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  3. Very nice postcard, and a lovely account of what it looks like. I'm enjoying reading your blog because your life in France is so much different than mine in Michigan. :)

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  4. What lovely photographs and like an earlier comment I too find it very interesting to look at different lifestyles. Than you Delphine.

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  5. What a community. Sounds as though you finished up employing most of your neighbors.

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  6. Idyllic!
    What a life!
    Oh Delphine I can't wait for the rest of your story!

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  7. Delphine, I'm glad to hear there were better neighbors than the crazy dog stealing man!

    To answer your question from my blog: Because of all the animals it is rare for my husband and I to go away together. Only once in eight years have we both left the farm. And then a very good friend stayed and cared for the animals. But we work together and have different traveling urges so it all works out.

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  8. Kritter Keeper, We are just two and a half hours south of Paris, a magical city. France is a wonderful place to explore because each area has something different to offer- I recommend a touring holiday here.

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  9. Hi Sandy, I found the postcard on the village web-site, couldn't see the date, so I guestimated :)

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  10. I would love to visit America and tour some of the states, M, trouble is I have a fear of flying, what a pain that is!

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  11. Thankyou for your comments Winifred about my photos, I must admit that I spend as much time getting carried away into memory land by looking through old photos as I do on my blog--the housework is really suffering!!

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  12. Yes it does doesn't it Dewlish? But no, it was through their work that we all became friends!

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  13. Thanks Cottage Girl, but I am a bit worried that it seems to be going on forever, I haven't even got to the second Chateau yet! I suppose there are so many stories to tell.....

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  14. That is such a shame, Cori! If I could fly I would come over and look after all your animals and you could come and look after the Chateau :)

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  15. Please, please, please continue your stories, Delphine! They are so interesting...I look forward to them!

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  16. That gives me such a warm feeling, Cottage Girl, thankyou. I am enjoying the telling.

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  17. Funny thing this.. the Butcher here is the most colorful fellow in our village...

    Lovely pic of the old town...

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  18. Hey Gwen there are two funny things, 1) the butcher and my today's posting on my other blog which are pictures of a sunset,inspired by Cori's pictures of a sunset. we are all are doing our skywatching!

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  19. I like those boxy brick buildings, so solid and attractive. I would try not to blink.

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