New Year's letter, 2008

Our fifth year in France-who would have thought it possible. It has been a busy year as the house welcomed returning friends, many new ones and more family than ever. The grenier renovations were completed and were well received.

Our reputation is made-a couple of our guests arrived in the village after midnight and tried, without success, to ask directions at the local pizzeria. Driving through the narrow, cobble-stoned streets, they came across an elderly man out walking his dog and again asked where the street was. He had no idea but in the conversation they mentioned being Canadian and the response was immediate. “Ah, les canadiens, bien sûr” and took them directly to the house!

The village continues to be vibrant and alive with new activities-another new boulangerie (can one ever have too many). The Grand Café has undergone a facelift and restored its’ wonderful art nouveau stylings. The small streets of the old town have all been restored to original cobble-stone and the “place” has had a facelift.

We ended 2008 ‘toute en famille’ to celebrate a French Christmas and “le temps retrouvé” and new beginnings.

Andy and Andrea Swan