The beginning of our end; Quéribus Chateau; Chateau Peyrepertuseis, Montsegur; Foix

Our Church Week—This week is ‘repas’ week and the theme was a regional food from France. It was Valerie’s idea and it was a perfect idea to celebrate France for us and for the Branch.  More on that below. 

Apartment hunting—A lot of this week went to helping our Bayonne Elders find an apartment.  Let it be known, without technology, this would be an entirely different task.  Bayonne is 1 ½ hours from us and we are able to do all the searching and approving remotely.  The Bayonne Elder’s proprietor is selling the apartment so they need to find a place ASAP.  It can be tricky here in France because generally speaking, proprietors do not like to rent to organizations (e.g., the government who provides subsidized housing or handicapped housing).  The proprietors have had bad luck and make a blanket statement, a flat out “no”.  NO organizations.  It really puts a monkey wrench in the works for us, an organization (in their eyes).

The Church pays 2-3 months in advance, plus the deposit and has a good reputation.  We also leave the apartments spic-and-span clean with all repairs done.  But you have to get the proprietors to listen to you, look at our track record and call references of those who rent to us.  Once we are in, they love us because we pay in full, on time and in advance.  They say we are the best renters.  Remember how our proprietor gave us a gift?  We are good for our word.  But getting past that first hurdle of just getting an audience with the proprietor is hard.  Cases in point: the Elders last application for an apartment they found was turned down and the Bezier couple after several tries of “no, you are an organization” just put their search for a larger apartment to an end. It just wasn’t worth their time when the answer was “no” before they opened the conversation.  We’re getting a member from Bayonne and the Mission Office native Frenchman to go to bat for the Church, the actual renter.

As missionaries we pay our own way.  We each give a fair sum, across-the-board donation to the Church who manages the legal, financial ins and out and the utility bills for us.  The young Missionaries move every 1-6 months so the Mission Office takes on the task to keep continuity with the proprietors.  The Senior Missionaries generally stay in one area but it is an incredible relief to not have to worry about all the monthly payments.  It frees us up to put all our efforts into the people we teach, support, serve and help.  The Mission Office staff are also volunteers and the unsung heroes making the interfacing we do daily, weekly and monthly a much easier encounter.  We can dedicate 100% of our time to just that.  Nothing like a mission!

The beginning of our end—This week, Marc has been making notes to pass on to our replacement.  It will be a couple from Toulouse (1 ½ hours for them) to serve as a couple.  The Stake President saw the wisdom in having a couple serve in this capacity.  It is really tough on Branches (smaller church unit) to fill all the positions and run all the programs with few people.  It is very easy to burn out and keep things fresh and not stagnant.  More on them later: an absolutely wonderful, high-caliber caring couple.  Best of the best.

Bernard and Michele—Meg talked to Michèle at church last week and they are going stir crazy being at home with neither one of them still being able to drive.  So…we invited ourselves over and said we’d bring the “gouté” (mid-afternoon pastry and beverages).  Michele just beamed to have some company over when Meg “invited us over”…to their house!!  It doesn’t seem like good etiquette; but it was just what the doctor ordered.  We had a wonderful visit and we talked for several hours. 

Christine and Christian—Ever-so-gracious.  They invite us over and out frequently to see France and the Pyrenees.  They think of a town and area they think we will enjoy.  This time we went to a unique town, Campan.  There was a group of natives who were actually out-casts.  Legend has it at one point there was a case of leprosy and they were not allowed across the river.  The towns people would not let them work the fields or farm animals.  So they became expert carpenters.  If you build a house or barn or shop, it’s hard to do without some wood framing or furniture.  They became renowned carpenters and their trademark homes and barns stand as testament today; they were an integral part of the community and its success.   

The repas this week—As usual, everyone chipped in to help.  Busy bees, they were.  We made a "little France" and had a Patisserie (French pastry shop), Boulangerie (bread shop) and Crêpérie (crepes shop) stand and everyone loved that idea.  France is known nationwide for these delicacy shops and it is in every town, no matter how small.  If you town is too small, a truck comes to deliver to your town—sometimes door-to-door so you have at least the Patisserie and Boulangerie.  These specialty shops have been woven into French society for centuries. 

We made decorations to have awnings and each could come to the “specialty shop” during our repas.  It was fun for the children to make their own crepes on the spot.  But the adults, too, in that moment were as giddy as the kids!  Crêpes are more from Northwestern France: Brittany.

After the repas, we had an unexpected surprise.  The Branch gave us a farewell send-off.  Marc will be released next week; we didn’t think they knew but someone caught wind of it (not from us) and word spread....quickly.  Everyone knew it was coming so they've had their ear to the ground for some time.  It was just a matter of which week it would happen.  We think some know more than others; but by this time next week, all will be in the know.  This week, the 22^nd marked our one-month left mark.  As we write, it will be less and we “cannot call it back.”  We are on a fast-paced ride we can’t slow down or stop.  Our time has come.  But the winding up scenes of our mission seems surreal and it hadn’t really hit us….until today.  This has been our home and we feel loved, accepted and have so enjoyed our time here. 

One Sister said you have pushed us and pulled us and brought us along with love.  They have done it so willingly and with love in their hearts.  Change is not always easy but they seem happy with their growth.  They were willing and that was the key.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to have grown with them.

We were touched to tears with the thoughtful gifts this tiny Branch gave us.  They know we will travel throughout France, Andorra and Spain after our release date and gave us an Entertainment type book of discounts.  So thoughtful and apropos (hey, that’s another French word we “stole”).  They also gave us a CD and book on our beloved Pyrenees.  We love this region and our heart strings are just being tugged when we think about leaving it.  Every chance we get, we head to the mountains while we still can.  This is one rich area geographically, historically and culturally.  And of course, it is the people.  Oh how we will miss the people.

Fête de Tarbes and summer festivals dating to Roman Times—This past week was Fête de Tarbes, a 2-day celebration of music.  Perhaps you remember it from last year, so we won’t repeat it other than Tarbes is in Fête.

Every town, large or small has a Fête.  Each town celebrates some aspect of French culture.  It’s really a nice tradition that keeps tradition alive.  To celebrate the smallest of nuances of differences within general French Culture, keeps France very French.  We wish we could describe the deep fabric of culture and tradition here.  Each region has their own cheeses, their own wines, their own soils that grow specialty vegetables/fruits.  Celebrating planting and harvest or the “transhumance” (escorting cattle/sheep to the high pasture lands) keep France very close to the land they love and keeps communities close with a grand sense of contributing something unique to others.  France loves their differences.  They REALLY get out to see and experience their own country during the year and especially when a village is “in Fête”. 

We work 6 ½ days a week so we are limited in what we’ve been able to see, and as  such, we did not see any of the Fête de Tarbes. It came and went without us.  But by driving though towns that are in Fête, you could spend a lifetime just going from town to town learning something new about each village and their heritage and their important contribution to the French fabric of society.  Wonderful tradition! 

Other—We had a good old-fashioned thunderstorm Wednesday night.  Being currently from the West Coast, we don’t have them.  Growing up on the East Coast, they bring lots of childhood memories.  Funny how certain sounds or smells trigger memories decades old.

It was 95 degrees in the shade on Tuesday; Thursday it was 56 degrees all day long, give or take a degree or two within the day. That’s a 50 degree drop.  No wonder we’re always battling some sniffle or sneeze.  Our bodies don’t know how to adjust and adapt so quickly, neither do we know what to wear in the week.   

We have begun putting winter clothes away….3 times now.  We’ve also pulled them out 3 times after they were awayJ.   Hopefully it’s for good this time.   

Next week, starting today and Monday, we will have temperatures in the 100s for a week:  unheard of for us here by the mountains.  The heat wave is hitting as far north as Paris, plus their radiant heat from buildings which will add to the index factor.  We imagine their might be some modified work days for the young Missionaries who are on the streets all day long.  It’s hard to stay hydrated on days like that, plus the nights will not cool down. 

We have a portable AC unit.  We are approved for 2 units but just got 1 save on the mission budget.  It was touch and go last year with 1 unit and up until now, we’ve had to turn on the heat a day or two….in JuneJ

Boo-hoo—One of the ‘’day starts’’ for Tour de France this year is out of our very own Tarbes.  Unfortunately, we will be out of town that day.  It’s for a very good cause:  we will be heading to Lyon (7hrs) to pick up our youngest daughter who finishes her mission a few days before us and has no “home” to go back to.  We will drive back to Tarbes with her until we finish our Mission.  It’s an honor (and an expense) for a town to host a day start for Tour de France; it is a BIG deal.  Tour de France is a BIG deal; hosting it makes everyone sing with French pride. 

Town of the week—Quéribus, Chateau de Quéribus is one of the “Five Sons of Carcassonne”.  This network of 5 castles were along the then Spanish border.  It was known as the last Cathar stronghold in 1255.  The site was occupied during Roman times from the beginning of the 1^st century and with historical references since the year 806.  Location, location, location.  Occitan, a very ancient language was spoken in that region and is still spoken by a few today. 

And talk about strategic—getting there was a feat in itself.  It was evident from miles away, more so the closer we got.  Climbing up was another feat.  Doing so in hurricane force winds was still yet another.  Because of the strategic placement of the castle and the region, cross winds are incredibly strong.  We sat down a lot and crawled along, bumper style because the wind would just knock us over….rather over the side of the cliff….no railings.  The wind just picked up Marc at one point and he was thrown against the wall.  Meg took one look at that and decided to crawl.  Rather daring—we’re afraid US guidelines would not have left us go up due to the winds and safety issues.  But we were miles from home both half way up and half way down when we realized our predicament.  We both had to take off our glasses or they’d been gone in a flash.  At the top?  Very nice views, bringing us face to face why it was a last stronghold. 

Check the wind speeds before you goJ

Château de Peyrepertuseis is situated atop 'unassailable' rocky peaks. It is called 'Celestial Carcassonne' because it is the biggest of the five castles and, to bring it into perspective, is surprisingly as vast as Carcassonne.

A la prochaine.

Le château de Peyreperteis at 2600 feet

The youth organized an activity.  They chose Laser Tag.

                              We visited Bernard and Michèle this week; we gave them our plant that Marc had given Meg for her birthday...in red wrapper.

      Meg rearranged the primary room, to accommodate piano
It's a tight fit; one day we'll hear news of a new building!

 The following pictures are of our June 2019 repas de branche

 Léo and brother Félix, Martine, and Maria

 Clayton, Félix, and Lili, part of Leo

We handed out our collection of church "Liahona" magazines.  Our move preps have started

 The Crêperie and Boulangerie

                              Marc help Maria send in her nonworking phone and the new one arrived. Elder Loh is helping set her phone up

Clayton and Siobhan

 

Lili and Léo are into Math these days. Lili was counting by 3's, 4's, etc and solving math problems

The aftermath of our math practice


 Marie Claudine's birthday today--Relief Society surprised her with a cake.  She was VERY touched

 Making crêpes at the Creperie

Tatiana and Patrick, from the Reunion Islands sang a farewell song to us

 Sensing that Marc might be released soon the Branche presented us with some momentos

Le château de Quéribus

Le château de Peyreperteis - top left in the distance

Le château de Peyreperteis, top center

Quéribus Chateaux

Quéribus Chateaux

This is where the wind started picking up and about the time the glasses would come off.

Le château de Peyreperteis in the distance

This chateau is on a VERY thin ridge

Behind Meg is that very thin ridge

Both glasses are off, excuse the hair please:)  We were so wind whipped getting to this point.

 You don't DARE let go of that rope!

VERY good place for a windmill.

   Now  Le château de Peyreperteis below:

Not much room to spare between the fortress castle and the mountain--less when you get up there.

Quéribus Chateaux seen from the distance from the château de Peyreperteis

Quéribus Chateaux across the valley

 

Another former Cathar castle named Château de Montségur. There is a rumor that the holy grail was once held in this castle

Several miles off in the distance; yet another hike up, up and up but a little less precarious at the top

Yet another Castle