When we first looked at the house we now own, I almost dismissed it because there is a high bank in a neighbor’s yard which is visible from one side of the garden, and there was an old orange tractor parked there. Though the farmer doesn’t park it there anymore, I’ve come to wish he still did: I now see it as a kind of colorful rural garden sculpture (see photo, left).
The farmer with the most “vintage” tractor in town, whom we shall call Monsieur M., was born in the village, and is even older than his tractor. He speaks the local patois, so he’s difficult to understand. But he and his wife are as kind a couple as they come, and a part of the rapidly disappearing French village life which has been somewhat altered and enriched (or so we hope) by expats. Sadly there’s no commerce in our village, but there once was: when they were young, Monsieur and Madame M. ran a bar in their barn, which turned into une boite (nightclub) in the evenings for dancing. There was a mezzanine in the barn, so parents could sit there and sip their wine while chaperoning les jeunes, dancing to the music below.
The other day Monsieur M. descended from his rickety relic, in his typical overalls and battered straw hat, to survey what is a magnet for a guy of any age or nationality: my elegant French neighbor from Marseilles, Jean-Marie, has a lipstick red Morgan. Of course if you were looking for a bit of French yin and yang, the new France and the old, you couldn’t find a better example than these two neighbors, plus the Morgan and the Tractor. (Both vehicles are brightly colored and both have four wheels, and there the similarity ends.)
Photo right, the antique tractor. Love the flowered seat on the interior, below.
You can see below, what happened next: Monsieur M. fascinated by the car, and my neighbor gallantly installing him in the passenger seat, for a cruise about town. Monsieur M. protested, but Jean-Marie insisted, and off they went, both beaming like schoolboys. A bridge between two different French planets. And lucky me, to arrive on the scene just in time for it to touch my heart, and to capture it for yours.
Important news: Most of you are readers of Kristin's French-Word-a-Day blog. Due to problems with the server, Kristin is changing servers for her feeds. If you are a subscriber and are NOT getting her blog in your feed or in your email box, it's probalby due to the changeover and you should re-subscribe. If you're not a subscriber already, you're missing a great blog!!
In the COMMENTS: Anne of the Music and Markets blog, good luck on that Aix kitchen reno! And you can keep up with the goings-on in Aix at her blog. And as to buying houses, not everyone makes it as hard as I do: Julie in Dijon, unlike me, bought the second house they looked at! (Be sure and read Julie's very important post on the locks on the bridges in Paris, at her blog, Traveling Through.) Martin has a good point: it's a fact that the notaires have house listings as well as the agents, and it's good to inquire if you're hunting.
Favorite Reads: Herm Meyer is a regular reader of this blog and has his own blog, where he writes poems which he often pairs with photos. He's studies French too–check out his musings on the power of Words.
And other fun stuff: Loyal readers Kurt and Laurence lived in France a long time, and now import tablecloths, napkins, and other French linens at their site, Occitan Imports, that will sing to you of Provence. And the prices are VERY reasonable (I actually own a set of the serviettes, pictured right). Christmas is coming (or maybe a gift for yourself?). Check them out here.
If you want to learn about collecting French antiques, or just drool over them, try our reader Lidy's gorgeous site, French Garden House. Lidy also sells antiques on her site, as well as blogging about them. I loved her post about collecting French ironstone, as below.
13 thoughts on “Shabby and Shiny Chic in a French Village”
Deeelightful. Thanks.
Salut Lynn,
Great article today! Having spent my early years on a farm in Illinois, I can relate to the old tractor. I spent many hours on one.
What fun it must be cruising around the French countryside with that Morgan!
Even with my old and Teflon-coated brain cells, I am making progress with French studies. . . . . Le Figaro and Le Monde are daily reads for me now. The Firefox browser has a very good add-on called “Quick Translator” for the unknown words or phrases. The spoken French is still a big challenge.
Thanks for the reference on your blog.
À bientôt
Lucky man. The Morgan entranced my teens. It had a wooden frame. Wooden. And a friend of my father owned one. His two nubile daughters took me for a ride in it on the Pacific Coast Highway in my excitable teens. But I think your neighbor may have enjoyed his ride more than I enjoyed mine.
This was a very touching post. The dear farmer reminded me of my grandfather, who died a long time ago. He was a farmer, too, and arrived here from Norway in 1918 when he was only seventeen years old. The overalls, the straw hat, just very, very nostalgic. Thanks for the memories!
What another lovely post Lynn. Such a delight to see the inter mingling of neighbors, expats and farmers. The true rich fabric of a wonderful French village. Enjoyed your reference to other blogs and Herme’s comment in AZ where we have landed as well as you know for a time, regarding the firefox browser translator tip. Bon weekend! Happy Halloween.
This was so charming to read & see these tractors. Having grown up on a farm, this instantly brought to mind my grandfather’s tractor which I so fondly remember. That red ride is gorgeous! Always fascinating to read what you post Lynn. Thank you for this.
Jerry and Carolee have a marvelous XK-120 FHC that Jerry restored in their garage near you. Lovely pale blue color.
Maybe Jerry will take on a Morgan as his next project!
The only thing more charming than the place you live in are the
delightful people you share it with.
Thank you for sharing them with us,Lynn, and (as always) such a wonderful post today!
Lovely article, Lynn, and thanks for the link; especially interested in the poetry blog. I could do that with my poetry, if I knew how; will check it out, and need to re-subscribe to Kristin, although I’ve saved probably 100 of her blogs already that I haven’t read. Lazy in Kentucky, ha, but I never fail to read SFF.
Great post and photos! Loved seeing Jean Marie looking so dashing and Monsieur M so thrilled! I can imagine your mixed feelings about the tractor next door.
Just love your blog, especially the farmer enjoying the Morgan. I really look forward to a dose of France and my spirits lift when I see your news on line compared with the usual stuff! Thank you Wendy Angleterre Sud
What a sweet post, Lynn! Oh, that Morgan! What a beauty, but just as lovely is the tractor, and Mr. M. What a gem he is. Thank you, too, for the mention of my own FrenchGardenHouse. Had dinner last night with your friend Connie, hopefully one day we can meet and share laughter and a meal too. Xoxo Lidy
Just dropping by to say hello, been away from the computer for a very long time and I have missed so many of your wonderful posts, getting caught up now. Wishing you a wonderful week!
XOXOXOX Ido