Maggie: Visit to Château de Castries

Editor:  Maggie took many photos of this event.  If you would like to see all of them, with the descriptions of the various portraits of past Marquis de Castries, please send email to Maggie or Bernadette.

Here are some of my photos from the visit to the Château de Castries on

Saturday, January 7th.

The visit was great.  Thanks so much to Bernadette for organizing it.  Other AWG attendees included  Cerese, Maquita, Mariannick, Susan Rey, Jill, Gretchen, Joyce, Sheila, and Mireille, plus some spouses.

Other photos are of the great hall, with its extremely decorative wood-stove
(I think there's a story there, but I don't remember it),

the dining room,

the upstairs kitchen (dumb-waiter behind a door), and photos of photos of
the furnished great hall and a lady's bedroom - larger than a man's bedroom,
and with a door on each side of the bed.  One is for the maidservant, and
the other is the bathroom.  I was told that beds were shorter than now
because people slept sitting up, but that might want verification.


Perhaps Bernadette could also provide some details about the big event the
Assoc is organizing at the beginning of July.  I forgot to note the dates,
and it's not supposed to conflict with "our" Fourth of July, but looking at
a calendar, I realize that it might be at the same time as our Fourth of
July party, which is usually on the weekend.  That would pose no problem if
our party is near Castries....   I'll also ask my contact to send me the details of the event.

There is some dispute as to whether the statue outside the château is actually the Roi Soleil, Louis XIV.  I would tend to go with those
who say it is, since the inscription is "ET LUCET ET TERRET," lucet from
lux, meaning light, related perhaps to sun.  But that's just my humble
opinion.

Bernadette wrote to Maggie:

Thanks a lot for the great information and photos you sent. I received a message from General Irastorza with some attachments (one of them in English) that indicate how Castries is involved with the American history and the program of the upcoming events. It will allow us to see what we can do to contribute if we decide to do so. I believe it could be interesting. We'll talk more about it.
Editor:  if any reader would like to view the attachments, please contact either Maggie or Bernadette.

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Here are some additional photos of AWG members of the visiting group from Cerese:

Gathered in the Orangerie, learning how water came to the Castle, with Jill and Fred,  Mireille and JeanPierre, Maquita and Ron, Sheila and Kevin looking on.  

Greetings from the Historian, with our Bernadette who arranged our visit

In the gardens of the Castle, Gretchen M and Susan Rey taking it all in, but like the rest of us, shivering on a VERY COLD saturday morning.  Sheila and Kevin behind Susan to the right

Many thanks to Bernadette, who did a top-notch job coordinating this visit.