25 April 2005

My Favorite Place in France

It seems impossible to leave France without writing about my very favorite

place, Chateau de Troissereux, located just outside of the picturesque town

of Beauvais.

 

On the surface, the "castle," as the tour book calls it, is not really a

castle, but a sort of huge brick building that was built in the 16th

century. This is the "new" building, built after the one built in 627 burned

down. The chateau is described as a "Louis XIIIth style, combining brick and

stone construction." The interior hasn't changed much since 1791.

At the entrance of the chateau's courtyard, we passed through a small door

that opened into a small, brick-floored room. On the other side of the door

sat an elegant-looking elderly woman. Her gray hair was pulled into a knot,

and she was wearing a becoming black suit when she welcomed us. On the desk

near her was a basket full of goose eggs with a little sign telling us to

ask if we would like to buy some of them.

 

Her English was perfect. She led us out into the area behind the house to

begin the tour. As our eyes moved over the T-shaped moat that led up to the

house, she explained the history of this ancient place, and how the giant

Plains trees that lined both sides of the moat had been brought in by a man

who had visited Louisiana in the early 1700s. Those trees had served as

filters for the water system until recent years. My heart felt a tug to

think that so much value had come from trees brought from "my" country.

We walked along the meadows of wildflowers to the end of the moat to watch

wood ducks, swans and beautiful European gray geese. I was enchanted already

with the peaceful feeling of this place.

 

After apologizing for her English, our guide turned us over to her husband,

who also spoke perfect English. He was an elderly, tall man with graying

hair, and he wore a gray suit with a bow tie. Our first stop was the ancient

clock that still keeps perfect time.

 

We moved from room to room filled with antiques, listening to stories of the

French Revolution (called "The Terror" by the French aristocracy) and how

Napoleon impacted the history of this place. We heard about the famous

authors and government people who traveled along the road to Paris from

England over the past 800 years, and how they would stop to pay homage to

the family that lived in the Chateau de Troissereux.

 

At one point, we walked down a long hallway and past a sweeping curved

staircase to enter the library. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling

with books of every description. Our guide said that his family used to

perform little plays on cold winter nights in this room.

 

As time wore on, I asked more and more questions. I was impressed with the

fact that this family opened up its personal home to strangers in an attempt

to preserve its history. As I stood in the library, the guide said to me,

"You are a special American. I have something I want to share with you."

Slowly, he pulled the bookshelf ladder over and climbed up to the top shelf,

where he gingerly drew a book to his chest. When he stood in front of me

again, he pressed the small book into my hand and asked me if I knew the

title. Don't ask me why, but when I saw the words "Constitution des

ETATS-UNIS et Déclaration des Droits" (the U.S. Declaration of

Independence), tears welled up in my eyes. He said it was but one of four

copies known to exist in French, and it was printed in 1776.

 

As I stood there looking down at this book I could hardly believe that this

man, a stranger to me and my family, had been so caring and so thoughtful to

allow me to see such a rare document. He then touched my hand and said,

"Thank you for coming and asking so many questions. You are a rare

American."

 

This one moment defined for me the life I had led in France ... full of

surprises, beauty and caring people. I will carry this moment with me for

the rest of my life, a souvenir to remind me that people are the same the

world over - if I just focus on what we have in common.

Annie Warmke has returned to her home in Philo, but continues to write about her travels. You can visit her at www.bluerockstation.com.

Originally published April 11, 2005