We were invited to spend a few weeks with our new friend, Alan, at his chateau in Champagne, while we prepared for our upcoming concerts in Germany. Our first wade into the sparkling waters of France - and what a dip!
Alan's chateau was set in a beautiful park that swept down to the river Marne.
It had a forest with a hermit's cave, a stream with a bridge to a tiny cottage on an island in the center, a rose walk, and an orchard.
Tucked at the very bottom corner of the wall, with a balcony overlooking the water, was a tiny lover's cottage. Two stories tall, and just one room wide -- with no staircase to be found...perhaps this is Rapunzel's tower? -- it had a sweetness and sense of expectation that was lovely, even after centuries of waiting.
Apparently, this house really was the special retreat for lover's trysts! Most interesting to me, was that we could see a curtain rod on the outside of the double-door leading onto the balcony. It was very strong, and seemed perfectly designed to hold a tapestry. It evoked such a strong image of the lady, sitting before the tapestry on her balcony, with apples and wine, waiting for her lover. Somehow, you don't expect the most romantic of your visions to appear before your eyes, holding out the promise that they were really true.
Another striking feature of Alan's chateau, and a real gem for us, was the church at the corner of his property closest to the tiny village in which he lived. The church has been caught in the crossfire of war, and struggles with the wear of age, and yet it is a magical place - its spiritual center intact.
The qualilty of the light inside this church was breathtaking - a soft yellow glow that bathed the stone walls with warmth, even in the sharp chill of November.
Looking over the shoulder of the church is the vineyard on the hill. The village is surrounded by them, and champagne is produced everywhere you look. One of the great joys of our stay with Alan was his tradition of opening a bottle of local champage from his favorite vineyard, and bringing the bottle, three glasses and a tray of freshly baked hors d'oeuvres to the fireplace room, where we were working. We would open the champagne and sit to talk about the many events of the day.
We became aware on this first visit to France, that the culture of food and drink is an integral part of life. Stores and offices close for two hours or more at lunch and dinnertime while everyone pauses for a full meal of several courses. One dish is the central feature of each course, which allows you to really taste each flavor, and to savor it for awhile before the next dish is ready. This not only leads to a greater enjoyment of your food, but greater enjoyment of the people you are sharing it with! We found ourselves engaging in in-depth conversations on philosophy and art, as well as working out together the plans for each day. We found that the tradition of French cuisine encompasses much more culturally than just the enjoyment of good food.
Bon appetit!