FRANCE on Your Own Newsletter



The Independent Traveler's Newsletter PAGE THREE

Repatriation: Sylvaine Lang returns home to France DEMOLITION - Episode One The biggest challenge when tackling a house renovation is choosing what to keep and what to give up, let go, abandon ~ finding a way to retain the feeling of the original structure and tweak it to fit the new owners' lifestyle. On ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser d'oeufs. So, we broke a few eggs. . . Our renovation project started many years ago, at least in Rick's mind. He already had several sketches ready when we approached my aunt's friend, Richard, last year. Richard used to be an architect in Great Britain. He and his wife bought and restored an old farmhouse twenty-five years ago; they now live in France year 'round, fifteen miles away from us. Richard got his French architectural credentials as well and is fully bilingual: as our maitre d'oeuvre, he is the perfect liaison between our tradespeople who don't speak much English and Rick who is far from fluent in French. Because my grandparent's house sits in an area designated as a site protégé, the building permit had to be approved not just by the mairie but also by the Bâtiments de France: they focus on architectural elements to make sure that the future construction respects and blends in with the specific heritage of the area. Pitch of the roof, tile design, metal used for gutters, paint color on the shutters, etc., are some of the elements reviewed before the project is approved. I had heard many horror stories about the process, but everything went very smoothly for us. Our building permit was issued in late 2017, and we had hoped the chantier would start in March so we could move in early Fall. Alas, a wet Spring delayed all masonry work in our area, and work had not been started when we arrived in early July. The updated schedule listed that the demolition work would commence the last week of July. The masons would then take four weeks off in August, as is customary in France, and resume in early September. The first order of business was to create new openings in the old structure. Traditionally, stone farmhouses didn't have many windows in order to stay warm in winter and cool in summer. There never was central heating in this house, and my grandparents chiefly relied on the cantou to heat the main room downstairs. I have vivid memories of carrying a hot brick wrapped in wool to the small bedroom upstairs and placing it between the sheets fifteen minutes before going to bed. As much as I enjoyed spending Christmas breaks there, I confess it was hard to get out of bed in the morning. The bedroom was so cold, I would literally see my breath. I could (somewhat) laugh it off when I was eighteen, but I'm pretty sure my amusement would be short-lived if I had to do it again. Since all the wood floors were rotten and had to be removed anyway, we made plans to install 'some kind' of heating system (more about this in a future episode), and we were anxious to add a few windows in order to bring more light into the rooms. Large chunks of stone were removed, and gaping holes appeared on three sides. Once the floor trusses, old parquet and original escalier were removed, the house looked like a war zone, a shell of its previous self. I emailed pictures to a couple of friends who had visited in prior years, and they both asked me how hard was it to see my beloved house in such a sorry state. Honestly, I did all my grieving last February when we completely cleared out the house. Sure, there was some sadness when the doors were ripped out and the jackhammers brought in, but, overall, I could at least maintain a 'neutral' state of mind. I knew from the get-go that we would only be able to salvage the walls and roof trusses. It's not easy to get excited about demolition, and yet, breaking stuff sometimes leads to beautiful surprises. I was filled with joy when the masons removed the interior plaster and revealed the stone beneath. We knew the murs de pierre were quite thick, but they were completely covered when the house was last renovated in 1940. I had never seen the exposed stone before. And my, it is glorious! New doorway to downstairs bedroom Thierry removing plaster to reveal the old stones The downstairs bedroom was added in 1967 and never communicated with the great room, as I like to call the one room that served as kitchen, dining and living room when my grandparents were alive. A door opening was created between the fireplace and the old stone sink. The cistern and grandpa's shed will become the pantry/wine cellar & en suite Work in progress . . . Location of the new kitchen We also pretty much demolished grandpa's shed as it will become an en suite bathroom. A door opening was carved into the old cistern; we will use that space as a wine cellar and pantry. The top of the cistern will serve as an elevated terrace, a few steps down from my future office. Of course, I would need a kitchen, and this could only happen through an extension to the original house. The bobcat had to work extra hard to dig deep enough for the foundations ~ in that area, the hard rock layer is not far from the surface. Naturally, we encountered a few setbacks. For instance, we found out that the ceiling of the downstairs bedroom was a foot lower that the ceiling of the main house. The height on some windows needed to be fine-tuned. Adjustments had to be made when walls did not intersect at 90 degrees. I have to say that our masons have been extremely accommodating. Instead of complaining when things don't go according to plan, they come to us with different options to work around obstacles. These guys are true craftsmen with years of experience dealing with the idiosyncrasies of old homes ~ and their owners. They get a kick out of Rick who communicates with them with a little bit of French and a lot of gestures. He spends an inordinate amount of time observing their work, not because of lack of trust but out of genuine curiosity; they just don't build houses the same way as in the U. S. Demolition complete! [All photos copyrighted property of Sylvaine Lang. All rights reserved.] You may remember Sylvaine Lang as the proprietor of Joie de Vivre, a wonderful catalog and web site that provides genuine products from France. Joie de Vivre was established in 1989 as the first mail-order catalog completely devoted to providing authentic French Specialties in the United States. They offered a wide selection of French foods, sweet and savory; fresh meat, pates and sausages produced in the US by French charcutiers who followed original recipes from France; Marseille soaps and toiletries from Provence; and a vast array of French and French-inspired items such as towels, dishes, glassware, candles, stationery and books to help you bring the heart and soul of France in to your home. There will be a new web site soon! Sylvaine has a blog, Moments Parfaits, which you might enjoy. The latest edition is dedicated to Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Paris, and we highly recommend you read it - her photos are superb. https://www.momentsparfaits.com/blog/2019/4/16/our-lady ENTER OUR PHOTO CONTEST - Second Invitation !!! Send us your best photo(s) ~ up to 3 ~ taken in France for our Third Photo Contest. We will award a prize to the winner, and publish the photo in our Summer newsletter. Requirements: photographer's name (no professionals, please) exact subject and location of the photo highest resolution possible (i.e., 300 psi) date photo was taken submissions must be the sole property of the photographer send to us by email with the photo attached as a .jpg only please do not send photos in a Word document submission deadline July 15, 2019 We are looking forward to seeing your great photos and sharing them with our other readers. HIDDEN GEM: Discovering Saint James Ideally situated on a rocky spur for strategic defense against neighboring Brittany, the commune of Saint James was founded in 1067 by William the conqueror. Since that time it has been a natural observation point over the Beuron Valley and Le Mont St-Michel bay. It has a rich history as a fortress town until the end of the 15th century, as a textile and clothing manufacturing center between the 10th and 18th centuries, and a resting place for pilgrims en route to Le Mont St-Michel. The town lies on the border of Normandy and Brittany, and the rivers Beuvron and Dierge flow through it. We were unaware of the existence of this commune of about 5,000 residents until our host at Château de Boucéel, told us about the American cemetery there. His father came back from World War II and became an important local figure. He was then asked by the American Battle Monuments Commission to take charge of establishing the Brittany American Cemetery in Saint-James, Normandy, very near the border with Brittany. It is on about 28 acres of land, and there are 4,410 American soldiers buried here, 498 of whom are unknown. Residents of Saint-James and the surrounding area each 'adopt' a grave and visit it often bringing flowers from their gardens. It is immaculately maintained by the French people, as are all the military cemeteries in France. We spent several hours at the cemetery at the visitors center and in the cemetery itself. We found the 'adopted' grave of our host and his family ~ the young man's family from the United States had come to visit the grave and stayed at Château de Boucéel several years ago. Invasion Map at the Visitors' Center Memorial Plaque at Visitors' Center The chapel Following the liberation of the area by Allied forces in 1944, engineers of the 9th Air Force Engineering Command began to build a combat Advanced Landing Ground outside of the town. It was officially opened on August 14th and was used as a launching site for P-47 Thunderbolts until early September. At that time the operation was moved to central France and the airfield was closed. But, Saint James has another story to tell. More of Saint James' History Located in the commune is the Saint James Atelier, Les Tricots Saint-James, carrying on a textile manufacturing industry that dates back to the Middle Ages. Established in 1889, the 'Tricot Saint-James' brand of knitwear has a reputation as high-quality, traditional French nautical shirts and sweaters known around the world. That nautical connection dates back to the French Navy when it was decreed by Parliament in 1858 that this tightly knit top must be worn by sailors at sea. The stripes made sailors easier to spot if they should fall overboard. It is written that each of the Breton's 21 white and 21 blue stripes, in the very specific widths of 2cm and 1cm respectively, represents a victory by Napoleon Bonaparte. Even Coco Chanel was inspired by the look of local sailors while she was on holiday at the French coast and created her own interpretation of the Breton shirt in her 1917 collection. Everyone from the Duchess of Cambridge to Kate Moss have been seen in the iconic striped shirts. It is said that no other brand of Breton shirts can match the high quality of the Saint James, that they last 'forever' and don't fade! In this small commune, authentic nautical sweaters and Breton striped shirts are produced to be sold in shops in France and elsewhere, and very conveniently online. Worn by famous people over the years, the Breton striped shirt was a favorite of Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn and other celebrities. The company has stood as a ward of French artisanship by keeping its knitting craftsmanship in practice and has received official recognition for maintaining this heritage ~ Label Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant. There are a few competitors, but anyone, man or woman, who owns a Breton shirt, sweater or other garment will tell you that none can compare to the Saint James. Audrey Hepburn the shirt Cary Grant You may enjoy this video offered by Les Tricots Saint-James. {The editors do not intend this to be an advertisement for Les Tricots Saint-James but simply as an informational addition to our article about the commune of Saint James, Normandy.] previous page next page

Repatriation: Sylvaine Lang returns home to France

DEMOLITION - Episode One

The biggest challenge when tackling a house renovation is choosing what to keep and what to give up, let go, abandon ~ finding a way to retain the feeling of the original structure and tweak it to fit the new owners' lifestyle. On ne fait pas d'omelette sans casser d'oeufs. So, we broke a few eggs. . .

Our renovation project started many years ago, at least in Rick's mind. He already had several sketches ready when we approached my aunt's friend, Richard, last year. Richard used to be an architect in Great Britain. He and his wife bought and restored an old farmhouse twenty-five years ago; they now live in France year 'round, fifteen miles away from us. Richard got his French architectural credentials as well and is fully bilingual: as our maitre d'oeuvre, he is the perfect liaison between our tradespeople who don't speak much English and Rick who is far from fluent in French.

Because my grandparent's house sits in an area designated as a site protégé, the building permit had to be approved not just by the mairie but also by the Bâtiments de France: they focus on architectural elements to make sure that the future construction respects and blends in with the specific heritage of the area. Pitch of the roof, tile design, metal used for gutters, paint color on the shutters, etc., are some of the elements reviewed before the project is approved. I had heard many horror stories about the process, but everything went very smoothly for us.

Our building permit was issued in late 2017, and we had hoped the chantier would start in March so we could move in early Fall. Alas, a wet Spring delayed all masonry work in our area, and work had not been started when we arrived in early July. The updated schedule listed that the demolition work would commence the last week of July. The masons would then take four weeks off in August, as is customary in France, and resume in early September.

The first order of business was to create new openings in the old structure. Traditionally, stone farmhouses didn't have many windows in order to stay warm in winter and cool in summer. There never was central heating in this house, and my grandparents chiefly relied on the cantou to heat the main room downstairs. I have vivid memories of carrying a hot brick wrapped in wool to the small bedroom upstairs and placing it between the sheets fifteen minutes before going to bed. As much as I enjoyed spending Christmas breaks there, I confess it was hard to get out of bed in the morning. The bedroom was so cold, I would literally see my breath. I could (somewhat) laugh it off when I was eighteen, but I'm pretty sure my amusement would be short-lived if I had to do it again.

Since all the wood floors were rotten and had to be removed anyway, we made plans to install 'some kind' of heating system (more about this in a future episode), and we were anxious to add a few windows in order to bring more light into the rooms. Large chunks of stone were removed, and gaping holes appeared on three sides. Once the floor trusses, old parquet and original escalier were removed, the house looked like a war zone, a shell of its previous self.

I emailed pictures to a couple of friends who had visited in prior years, and they both asked me how hard was it to see my beloved house in such a sorry state. Honestly, I did all my grieving last February when we completely cleared out the house. Sure, there was some sadness when the doors were ripped out and the jackhammers brought in, but, overall, I could at least maintain a 'neutral' state of mind. I knew from the get-go that we would only be able to salvage the walls and roof trusses.

It's not easy to get excited about demolition, and yet, breaking stuff sometimes leads to beautiful surprises. I was filled with joy when the masons removed the interior plaster and revealed the stone beneath. We knew the murs de pierre were quite thick, but they were completely covered when the house was last renovated in 1940. I had never seen the exposed stone before. And my, it is glorious!

New door to downstairs bedroom Thierry revealing the old stones

New doorway to downstairs bedroom Thierry removing plaster to reveal the old stones

The downstairs bedroom was added in 1967 and never communicated with the great room, as I like to call the one room that served as kitchen, dining and living room when my grandparents were alive. A door opening was created between the fireplace and the old stone sink.

Wine cellar and bathroom to be . . . Work in progress Location of the future kitchen

The cistern and grandpa's shed will become the pantry/wine cellar & en suite Work in progress . . . Location of the new kitchen

We also pretty much demolished grandpa's shed as it will become an en suite bathroom. A door opening was carved into the old cistern; we will use that space as a wine cellar and pantry. The top of the cistern will serve as an elevated terrace, a few steps down from my future office.

Of course, I would need a kitchen, and this could only happen through an extension to the original house. The bobcat had to work extra hard to dig deep enough for the foundations ~ in that area, the hard rock layer is not far from the surface.

Naturally, we encountered a few setbacks. For instance, we found out that the ceiling of the downstairs bedroom was a foot lower that the ceiling of the main house. The height on some windows needed to be fine-tuned. Adjustments had to be made when walls did not intersect at 90 degrees. I have to say that our masons have been extremely accommodating. Instead of complaining when things don't go according to plan, they come to us with different options to work around obstacles. These guys are true craftsmen with years of experience dealing with the idiosyncrasies of old homes ~ and their owners. They get a kick out of Rick who communicates with them with a little bit of French and a lot of gestures. He spends an inordinate amount of time observing their work, not because of lack of trust but out of genuine curiosity; they just don't build houses the same way as in the U. S.

Demolition completed

Demolition complete!

[All photos copyrighted property of Sylvaine Lang. All rights reserved.]

You may remember Sylvaine Lang as the proprietor of Joie de Vivre, a wonderful catalog and web site that provides genuine products from France.
Joie de Vivre was established in 1989 as the first mail-order catalog completely devoted to providing authentic French Specialties in the United States.
They offered a wide selection of French foods, sweet and savory; fresh meat, pates and sausages produced in the US by French charcutiers who followed
original recipes from France; Marseille soaps and toiletries from Provence; and a vast array of French and French-inspired items such as towels, dishes,
glassware, candles, stationery and books to help you bring the heart and soul of France in to your home. There will be a new web site soon!

Sylvaine has a blog, Moments Parfaits, which you might enjoy. The latest edition is dedicated to Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Paris, and we
highly recommend you read it - her photos are superb. https://www.momentsparfaits.com/blog/2019/4/16/our-lady

ENTER OUR PHOTO CONTEST - Second Invitation !!!

Send us your best photo(s) ~ up to 3 ~ taken in France for our Third Photo Contest.
We will award a prize to the winner, and publish the photo in our Summer newsletter.

Requirements:

photographer's name (no professionals, please)
exact subject and location of the photo
highest resolution possible (i.e., 300 psi)
date photo was taken
submissions must be the sole property of the photographer
send to us by email with the photo attached as a .jpg only
please do not send photos in a Word document
submission deadline July 15, 2019

We are looking forward to seeing your great photos and sharing them with our other readers.

HIDDEN GEM: Discovering Saint James

Brittany American Cemetery. Copyright Cold Spring Press. All rights reserved.

Ideally situated on a rocky spur for strategic defense against neighboring Brittany, the commune of Saint James was founded in 1067 by William the conqueror. Since that time it has been a natural observation point over the Beuron Valley and Le Mont St-Michel bay. It has a rich history as a fortress town until the end of the 15th century, as a textile and clothing manufacturing center between the 10th and 18th centuries, and a resting place for pilgrims en route to Le Mont St-Michel. The town lies on the border of Normandy and Brittany, and the rivers Beuvron and Dierge flow through it.

Brittany American Cemetery. Copyright Cold Spring Press. All rights reserved.

We were unaware of the existence of this commune of about 5,000 residents until our host at Château de Boucéel, told us about the American cemetery there. His father came back from World War II and became an important local figure. He was then asked by the American Battle Monuments Commission to take charge of establishing the Brittany American Cemetery in Saint-James, Normandy, very near the border with Brittany. It is on about 28 acres of land, and there are 4,410 American soldiers buried here, 498 of whom are unknown. Residents of Saint-James and the surrounding area each 'adopt' a grave and visit it often bringing flowers from their gardens. It is immaculately maintained by the French people, as are all the military cemeteries in France.

We spent several hours at the cemetery at the visitors center and in the cemetery itself. We found the 'adopted' grave of our host and his family ~ the young man's family from the United States had come to visit the grave and stayed at Château de Boucéel several years ago.

Visitor Center invasion map. Copyright Cold Spring Press. All rights reserved.

Memorial Plaque Saint James. Copyright Cold Spring Press. All rights reserved.

Brittany Cemetery Chapel. Copyright Cold Spring Press. All rights reserved.

Invasion Map at the Visitors' Center Memorial Plaque at Visitors' Center The chapel

Following the liberation of the area by Allied forces in 1944, engineers of the 9th Air Force Engineering Command began to build a combat Advanced Landing Ground outside of the town. It was officially opened on August 14th and was used as a launching site for P-47 Thunderbolts until early September. At that time the operation was moved to central France and the airfield was closed. But, Saint James has another story to tell.

More of Saint James' History

Saint James Atelier, France. Copyright Les Tricots Saint-James. All rights reserved.

Saint-James Atelier, Saint James, France. Copyright Les Tricots Saint-James All rights reserved.

Located in the commune is the Saint James Atelier, Les Tricots Saint-James, carrying on a textile manufacturing industry that dates back to the Middle Ages. Established in 1889, the 'Tricot Saint-James' brand of knitwear has a reputation as high-quality, traditional French nautical shirts and sweaters known around the world. That nautical connection dates back to the French Navy when it was decreed by Parliament in 1858 that this tightly knit top must be worn by sailors at sea. The stripes made sailors easier to spot if they should fall overboard. It is written that each of the Breton's 21 white and 21 blue stripes, in the very specific widths of 2cm and 1cm respectively, represents a victory by Napoleon Bonaparte. Even Coco Chanel was inspired by the look of local sailors while she was on holiday at the French coast and created her own interpretation of the Breton shirt in her 1917 collection. Everyone from the Duchess of Cambridge to Kate Moss have been seen in the iconic striped shirts. It is said that no other brand of Breton shirts can match the high quality of the Saint James, that they last 'forever' and don't fade!

In this small commune, authentic nautical sweaters and Breton striped shirts are produced to be sold in shops in France and elsewhere, and very conveniently online. Worn by famous people over the years, the Breton striped shirt was a favorite of Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn and other celebrities. The company has stood as a ward of French artisanship by keeping its knitting craftsmanship in practice and has received official recognition for maintaining this heritage ~ Label Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant. There are a few competitors, but anyone, man or woman, who owns a Breton shirt, sweater or other garment will tell you that none can compare to the Saint James.

Audrey Hepburn in Saint James shirt. Wikipedia

Cary Grant in Saint James shirt. Wikipedia

Audrey Hepburn the shirt Cary Grant

You may enjoy this video offered by Les Tricots Saint-James.

{The editors do not intend this to be an advertisement for Les Tricots Saint-James but simply
as an informational addition to our article about the commune of Saint James, Normandy.]

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