Keeping local - Blogabond

34th Div memorial outside the top of the campsite

After the excitement of yesterday, we decided to have a day local so that we were really fresh for what could be a long day tomorrow. First stop was at the top of the campsite, just outside which and laid back 10 metres or so is a monument to the 34th Division with its winged angel of victory. On then into the park donated to the village by Marguerite Yourcenar.

Who is Marguerite Yourcenar?

Born in Brussels she spent much of her childhood here in the family chateau before WW1 when it was reduced to a shell. An apparently celebrated writer in her later life, she travelled with her father until his death in 1929 then lived a bohemian existence in Paris until the money ran out in 1939 when she went to the US following a girlfriend. She lived the rest of her life in Maine with occasional trips back here and is significant for being the first woman nominated as a member of the Academie Francaise. She built a house on the site of the old chateau and this is still used by writers for periods of contemplation and writing. Given the noise made by a happy band of children playing in the park when we were there, the contemplation will not be quiet!

Mont Noir Cemetery at the foot of the campsite

One of the walks through the park was to the military cemetery at the foot of the campsite, so we followed the path through the woods and duly arrived at a beautiful and quiet little corner. Not for the first – or I doubt the last time we were struck by the fact that so many small communities housed a small cemetery of WW1 graves; yet another indicator of the human cost of the conflict. Small wonder that so many people (especially former participants) on all sides were determined that this should never be allowed to happen again.

A quiet walk back up half the hill and a right turn to cross the border into Belgium to buy some bread at the huge boulangerie. Once inside we noticed a huge counter about a metre deep and about 4 metres long covered in a bread for which locals seemed to go mad, buying several loaves and getting them sliced at the counter. The loaves concerned looked similar to brioche, a golden colour but an elongated, flat shape and apparently glazed with sugar. We didn't fancy one at the time but I feel we should try the local delicacy before we leave.

written by

rickandsuejohnson on August 8, 2011 from Bailleul, France

from the travel blog: Paying our respects

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