Ok so I have several personal posts in my blog; I feel readers need to know us for reassurance and sharing stories I like. This one is at the root of our lives in France, a country we love and adopted as our own. My blog title has Paris1972, that is the first time I came for one day to Paris while living in Madrid! I came back in 1990 to meet what would be my wife Martine. The story took off with our love of France eventually reaching it permanently as my blog says Versailles2003 when we arrived. It has been sad times like losing my mom and wife due to illness but the ride has been huge for us, so much that our love for France has increase totally. Hope I can convey that love to my readers ; and thank you for reading me in my blog since November 26 2010.
This is the story of pedmar10 in the Royal magical town of Versailles and thereabouts, where I lived 9 years. It is time to reminiscent and remember the good old days of France.
Versailles from 1682 to 1789 held the power in France and all evolves around the city. It is only about 17 km from Paris. Capital city of the Yvelines dept 78 since 1968. The history tells us treaties were signed here such as the treaty of Paris 1783 to end the American war of Independence and the Treaty of Versailles to end WWI or the Great War. It is ,also, written in the French constitution that each time there is a change to it, amendment, etc the entire French government has to move here to do the changes becoming Versailles de facto capital of France; this last happened in 2009 under President Sarkozy term.
My boys went to school in nearby Verneuil sur Seine and Le Chesnay both memorable places. I worked in Paris and Suresnes. My wife worked at CDG Airport .
My parents followed with us as they were already American retiree and just got their titre de séjour easy. Unfortunately, my mother Gladys passed away on December 27 2007 while in Versailles. Her ashes are at sea in Honfleur, Normandy.
Brief, I married my Frenchie in December 26 1990, in Daytona Beach Florida USA, became French citizen in December 17 2000 at the Consulat de France of Miami.
We all came to France permanently me for the job in August and the rest of the family in December 2003 and lived in Versailles until May 30, 2011. We then moved to the Morbihan in Bretagne due to my job in June 2011 first in Brec’h near Auray and now in Pluvigner.
We moved to the Morbihan,dept 56 of Bretagne after I found a top job with worldwide responsibilities in Finance. We lived in the town of Brec’h . In 1795, the expedition of Quiberon by immigrant Breton from England failed (lack of support from England) , and were taken prisoners here where they were summarily condemned to death by a military court, 795 were executed in the field today call Champ des Martyrs or Field of Martyrs on the Loch river . In 1829,the rests were exhumed and transferred to the Chartreuse of Brech in a chapel where they rest today. In WWII, the train station of Auray was the place to carried the cement block to built the blockhouses in the Atlantic wall by the Nazis.
My boys went to schools in Sarzeau and Auray to finish. Another spot in our world map. I worked in Vannes and my wife retired just before moving to Brec’h as on a car accident in Miami Florida turnpike she lost her left eye. Not able there but yes in our belle France. And we moved on.
After purchasing our house in Pluvigner. There was an important train station here; Opened in December 1864 on the line from Auray to Napoleonville (today is Pontivy) that passes by here with three trains per day; the line stopped in 1951 and the station finally closed in 1981. On January 23 1943, an American B17 bomber was damaged and landed here in the forest of Kéronic . Seven aviators were killed and three survived; there are two stones commemorating this in 1994 in the presence of survivor Charles Roth, and the regular member of the crew that was absent on this mission Mel Schulst. It is still here.
Of course I worked in Vannes, the capital of the department on the outside in an old manoir /castle of 1504 on which ruins our office is build and a 44 hectares park/garden.
Unfortunately, unluck have it my dear wife Martine passed away from cancer while in Pluvigner on April 30 2018. I was left with our young men in their late 20’s and my Dad who is diabetic of 85 years old. And me the guardian of our home; looking for retirement by March 2021.
This is me and have other posts on my family here and pictures if you look the names of the towns. La vie est belle or la vida es chula , and life is beautiful we must go on with huge wonderful memories. This blog is a reflection of them and I thank you for reading me.
And thanks for the over 1100 followers and many likes and comments over the years to you all. It made my days easier. Thank you, Merci beaucoup, Muchas Gracias, Muito Obrigado!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 