“Come and meet the English boy” shouted my best friend Annick excitedly across the fence. Annick’s two brothers had just spent a couple of weeks in Kent as part of a school exchange trip.  While there, they got to met and befriend the barman at their local. When they left on the Wednesday, they told him he should come over to see them in France sometime. 3 days later, he arrived at the train station in Saint-Quentin and called them:  I’m here!!!  That was a bit sooner than they expected and totally unplanned but the welcome he got from the whole family was no less enthusiastic and warm.  

Anyway, over I went to Annick’s house, and there, in Bruno’s bedroom was the English boy, long haired, and wearing a blue top, chinos and pig skin shoes. I took my usual favourite spot in Bruno’s room, where I used to spend hours listening to his music: on the window-sill.

This was late summer 1974, the evenings are long and Anthony and I spent several hours chatting – the conversation was easy and flowing. There was an undeniable connection. When it was time for me to leave, I gave him my special leather and silver bracelet.

The next day, we met up again, listening to more music and already making plans to meet up in the UK at Christmas time. I made that trip 4 months later with my brother and his girlfriend. 

It was lucky Anthony decided to take up the offer to visit his new friends in France so soon as my parents and I left that part of northern France the following week for the swiss border. “Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today” has remained our mantra ever since. 

Going from Bayeux to Reims to see my niece, was the perfect opportunity to go back to where I spent my childhood and where Anthony and I met that summer of 1974.  

The new owner of the house next door to mine and where we met came out, intrigued that anyone would be taking photos of his house.  He seemed really touched at our story and insisted we come in.  That’s when emotions came flooding in for me, remembering the hundreds of times I used to visit to see my best friend Annick and her brother Bruno. 

After this emotional trip down memory lane, we went to see Annick’s mother, now in a nursing home.  It is tragic that her husband and all 3 children have all passed away. She was pleased that we had visited their grave in the village of Fayet before seeing her.

A short trip through the northern France countryside I love so much and we are in Reims to see my niece. That countryside is flat and might be boring for most people, but when it was the place you grew up, went walking with your dog, or cycling or sat in the fields with your school friends, it brings so many happy memories and feels so serene.

We do none of the touristy things in Reims such as visiting the cathedral etc as our only reason for being there this week end is to spend time with my niece. This is after all a trip to see family above all else.

After Reims, our next stop is Troyes: a medieval old town featuring narrow, cobbled streets lined with colorful, half-timbered houses, mostly dating from the 16th century.

All towns and villages in France always have a monument those who gave their lives to liberate the town or city. The monument in Troyes was particularly striking, designed by Jean-Charles Lallement sculptor in 1955. The title of the sculpture is “ Medidate and Remember”.

I wonder if we’ll get to our next camping spot before the huge storm that has been forecast…

– Anne