Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day



Belle Isle

I just returned from Paris and Belle Isle in Brittany. Belle isle is an enchanting island (blog post to follow) and one cannot forget its tumultuous past while hiking along its wild coast , with german blockaus being part of World war II military landscape and Hitler's "Atlantic Wall". One can find these monstrous structures all along the West coast of France,  protecting the Atlantic coast from allied invasions. Locals residents as well as prisoners from concentration camps built these bunkers which housed generators, ammunition storage and rockets.

I have read numbers of history books and novels taking place during World War II and have an endless fascination for this part of history that showed the worst lack of humanity and yet the incredible courage in each human being, a period of hatred and great love all at ounce.

On a walk to my village with my dad, a couple of hours before my flight back, he pointed to a small "place" in our village, remembering how his father used to hide gasoline for the "Resistants" among the fruit crates and store it there for the night. Then I went up to our cemetery to say goodbye to my beloved aunt who recently passed away and read the names of all the departed ones, young sons of the village who died in the two World wars.

One must never forget and truly be thankful for the selflessness of others who died for us.




My french village: Clemont dessous



In Memoriam…


A Bientôt,

Francine


6 comments:

  1. It is true then that so many of the relics of war remain. Everything except our people, our families. This is such a sad day for me, knowing how many have suffered during wars. Being brave, giving all.
    A beautiful tribute, Francine. So happy you were with your family once again. xx's

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  2. What beautiful images Francine of places that have seen so much sadness. I do believe it's Memorial Day in the States so a very fitting tribute.
    We Shall Remember Them. XXXX

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  3. Bonsoir Francine!

    I am going to Quimper next summer and it will be my first time in the northern part of France; I am a Provence girl!

    What a glorious trip to make, but bittersweet at the memories are still part of the landscape, and always will be. Bisous, Anita

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  4. Thank you for this eye opener post. We must remember, or it will repeat again.
    GOD FORBID, yvonne

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  5. Dear Francine, your village is so lovely. A place with so many memories and so many to remember...
    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena

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