Chateau and Country Life in France

The little curé is very pleased to have his midnight mass this year on Christmas eve. Last year it was suppressed. There was such angry feeling and hostility to the clergy that...

It was a long time before I could get accustomed to seeing women work in the fields (which I had never seen in America). In the cold autumn days, when they were picking the bett...

Election day is always a very important day in France. The village farmers and labourers put on their best clothes--usually a black coat, silk hat and white shirt--and take them...

Wednesday we made a fine expedition to the woods--the whole party, the donkey-cart, and one of the keepers to choose the Tree--a most important performance, as we wanted the rea...

We didn't pay many visits; but sometimes, when the weather was fine and there was no hunting, and W. gone upon an expedition to some outlying village, Mme. A. and I would start...

The start was very pretty--one rode straight into the forest, the riders spreading in all directions. The field was never very large--about thirty--I the only lady. The cor de c...

His career was rapid and brilliant. He was named to the Académie Française in 1673, and when he retired from the theatre was a welcome and honoured guest at the most brilliant c...

We loitered about some little time, talking to all our friends. The view from the terrace was beautiful--directly at our feet the little town, which is literally two streets for...

We left the auto at the hotel and found many others in the court-yard, and various friends. The d'Y----s had come over from Grangues (their place). He is Conseiller Général of C...

I. CHÂTEAU LIFE II. COUNTRY VISITS III. THE HOME OF LAFAYETTE IV. WINTER AT THE CHÂTEAU V. CEREMONIES AND FESTIVALS VI. CHRISTMAS IN THE VALOIS VII. A RACINE CELEBRATION VIII. A...

It always interested our English and American friends, as the washing is never done in that way in either of their countries. It was very convenient at our place as we had plent...

The next morning was lovely. I went to my maid's room, just across the corridor to see the motors start. All our rooms looked out on the park, and on the other side of the corri...

We turned off sharply to the left and at the end of a long avenue saw the house, half hidden by the trees. The entrance through a low archway, flanked on each side by high round...

We walked down to the Mairie, where the Mayor and his Adjoint were waiting for us; they conducted us to a large room upstairs where there was a table with champagne bottles, gla...

We thought it would be a good opportunity to do a little coasting and inaugurate a sled we had had made with great difficulty the year before. It was rather a long operation. Th...

Some years ago I was on the committee for a great sale we had in our arrondissement in Paris for the benefit of "L'Assistance par le Travail," an excellent work which we are all...

Another important function was a large breakfast to all the mayors, conseillers d'arrondissement, and rich farmers of W.'s canton. That always took place at the château, and Mme...

We have been out again this afternoon in Monsieur R.'s auto--a charming turn. We started out by the Étoile, as Monsieur R. wanted to show it to some gentlemen who were with us....

The shops on the quay are an unfailing source of interest to me. I make a tour there every morning before I go down to the beach. They have such a wonderful variety of things. S...