Last night we dined with a French couple who live near Paris but have a holiday home in Varen.
Although the wife speaks perfect English her husband does not so the evening was spent talking French which I am beginning to love. It was one of the most interesting evenings we have spent in a long time as the couple have so many stories, often amusing about French life and times. I had it confirmed that giving chrysanthemums as a gift would be considered bad luck, something we had done in our first year here.
The bluet that Ross talks about in his patrimoine label is no longer used they thought as everyone from the first world war is dead. The couple wondered why we still had the poppy and were interested when we explained about its aid to all our soldiers.
We talked about a little shop which used to exist in the streets of Varen, run after the first world war by a widow and shops like this with a "tabac" licence were started by widows needing an income all over France.
We talked of the horror of the two wars and of the villages round about where fathers and sons died together and whole families were decimated. Look at any cross in any village to see the recurring lists of names.
Malc and I ended the evening thinking how lucky we are to be able to share our lives with such cultured people whatever the nationality.
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