Memories

Saturday

Sleeping very well at Sabrina and Rui’s, we awoke to amazing breakfast of chocolate croissants, cheese, and coffee in a big cup! Today would be a very special day as we relived the stories Bennie had shared.  The plan is to tour the town, farm, and the area in which Bénèdicte spent her youth.

Before we could start our day, there was shopping to do, and Sabrina had already prepared a chicken for lunch. It would cook at a low temperature for the morning and provide a hearty meal later.

(Notice one of the spires is missing on the church - It disappeared in the Summer of 44)

With the chicken in the oven, we walked downtown to the butcher shop, where on display was a large selection of all types of meats. Sabrina loaded up on all sorts of charcuterie items for our enjoyment.

Rui and Tom snuck next door to the wine shop to browse the offerings and score a bottle of Bourgueil for our lunch. Next stop was the bakery, of course! Multiple bags of baguettes were procured, while we drooled over the sweets. The desserts were calling our names, but we were able to escape without buying any of the treats. 

Each bite of one of these delicacies must be 1000 calories… but oh, did they look good!

Rui and Sabrina live on a railroad line that has been shut down and turned into a walking trail. People go by on foot, bikes, and horses regularly. The setting is very rural, yet one can walk downtown in less than 5 minutes. Their back porch is good for relaxing and enjoying being outside. 

With our chores completed, we headed over to the family farm where the only boy sibling, Jocelyn, lives and farms the land today.  We were greeted by Jocelyn, however he was busy negotiating with his niece and great nieces over a new home for a kitten. The girls were moving to a new house and the kitten was not welcome. By the end of our visit, Jocelyn had a new barn cat.

With the deal done, the cat immediately climbed up the vines on the house and did not want to come down.

The farmhouse Bénèdicte grew up in with her siblings is relatively new for this part of the world.

Built in 1823 out of rock it is a classic example of many of the houses with connected workshops and barns we had seen on our trip. Built in multiple stages with many outbuildings, which are all made of stone.

It is still an active farm with Jocelyn raising crops and pigs on the land.

The house is very large and much of it has been closed off because it is too large for just one person. Sabrina gave us a tour and told us stories in each room. 

Pictures of family members, past and present, adorned the walls. There were certificates and medals of grandfathers back in WWI. With each picture and story, our memories were stirred of a happier time when Bénèdicte was with us.

Tom was excited when Jocelyn got the key and unlocked the cellar. This is where their father, Joseph, had kept his wine and calvados. We were lucky enough to taste the calvados when a family member would visit the states. A bottle or two always found it’s way to Virginia. 

There was still a collection of wine in the bins that had been covered in dust awaiting the day to be enjoyed. In fact, we did enjoy a few on our visit. The walls were covered with labels of wines enjoyed in the past.

(Sabrina and Joycelyn)

Back to Sabrina’s for lunch. The aroma of chicken and vegetables filled the house. Tom was pleased with the wine pairing of the Bourgueil. If we were in the states, the meal would classify as a Sunday Supper at Grandma’s house. Everything was so good. How good you ask? So good that Tom took no pictures!

After lunch, our exploration of La Haye du Puits continued. Our first stop was one of those experiences we will treasure for life. The farm of Pierre Guillotte was down a short dirt road. 

He is known for his cidre and calvados. Arriving at the same time as a Dutch couple on bikes, the four us and the bikers were in for a treat. Pierre, a wonderful storyteller, gave us a tour and explained the difference of making juice, cidre, and calvados. It all starts the same with very special ingredient - apples. What happens after the apples are pressed is when the magic starts.

Once again, following the tour was a tasting. In a small room with a large fireplace next to where the apples got pressed we gathered around an old table. Pierre had known Bennie and was very fond of her. More stories of days gone by while we drank libations made from apples that satisfy all the senses with every sip. 

Procuring a bottle, we thanked Pierre and went to visit Bénèdicte’s resting place. It was very close to Pierre’s farm. A small country church surrounded by past members of the community is where her resting place is in France with her mother and father. 

We spent a moment of quiet with our friend. Sabrina led us into the church where she and many family members had been baptized. Once again, the sheer age of our surroundings and the history that occurred within these walls is just unbelievable.

We piled back into the car for a short ride to visit Florence, another sister of Bénèdicte. She and her husband, Michel, are also farmers. She received us into the house warmly and we sat around the table sharing stories and memories. Florence was very happy because she had all her children and grandchildren with her this day. Her smile was beaming and infectious. Although our visit was brief, we were so happy to spend a few minutes with her and her family.

(Sabrina and Florence)

t was 7:30 and the sky was as bright as it was at lunch. Sunset was nowhere to be seen. We headed back to Sabrina’s and she began whipping up another gastronomical delight. It was a table with a wide of assortment of meats, cheeses, pates, fish and oyster spreads, and the list could go on. 

While visiting the farm’s wine cellar, a bottle of 2002 Burgundy was discovered with Sabrina’s name. It was from a Christmas long ago. We enjoyed with our evening meal. No longer vibrant, the wine still glistened of red fruit and offered layers of matured flavors. It was almost midnight when we got up from the table. 

It had been a very special day making stories come alive and making memories that will never be forgotten.  - Good Night