MY MINI SCRAPBOOK OF TRIP TO FRANCE

quand j'etais a Paris j'ai vu le Tour Eiffel

Pat at the grave of the unknown soldier in Paris	Mom, Pat (me), and Beatrice in the garden of the "Palais de Versailles"

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pendant 'La Vendenge'

Arbois, in the Jura Mountains on the eastern part of France near Switzerland, is the birthplace of my mother's mother. Visiting this village, walking down the streets, looking at buildings, some of which had been constructed during the time of the Romans, really helped give me a feel of who I am and my relationship to the world. Seeing people who looked familiar, relatives I had never met or known until then, was exciting, exhilarating, and just plain fun! Seeing the house my great-grandparents had lived in, the river my great-grandmother had done some of her laundry in, the cemetary (couldn't find the graves though), the parochial school my mother and aunt attended, the church... The grape harvest (Vendenge) festival in Arbois, called: 'La fete du biou' was a delight. They carry a huge bundle of grapes through town to the church for a blessing. It is a regular parade, with bands, marchers, etc. The grape is the life force of Arbois--their cheeses and candies are something to die for too!

My visit to France was overwhelming. That was in the late summer of 1982--I'll never forget it.

To listen to the French national anthem, "La Marseilles," just click on midi symbol



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08 August 1997/Updated 25 February 1999