Family Ties

Since my 1969 summer in the home of Mathurin and Antoinette Lessart, I have felt a part of the family. Their generous and warm reception has created bonds that have endured almost 40 years. Visiting Brittany has always meant coming home to family. As an unexpected bonus to this year’s visit, Yann LeHellaye, Marylise’s oldest son, was home for a short visit. He divides his time between doctoral work in England and his passion, working as a biologist with the chimps of Africa.

Benjamin is the youngest of the three boys, a growing 15 year old. He served as host to several friends for a “barbecue” in the living room, complete with fire in the huge fireplace. Welcome to Bretagne in July!



Marylise treated me to a lovely meal at noon, well, quite a bit after noon since it took me twice as long as expected to arrive! - and Yann and Marcel joined us for dinner in the evening, complete with a chocolate cake courtesy of Benjamin and friends. I didn’t see Stephane this visit, but will settle for two out of three. Papa seems to be doing well, slowing down and wearing a pacemaker, but still driving me to the store to do errands in his little Twingo, still happy to have Neptune the Newfoundland and the cat for company.

The summer has been filled with opportunities for renewing family ties and fostering new friendships. Spending the weekend in Germany with Peter and Babsi Gunther, Fredde, Hanni, Christian, Tine and family, was like coming home in another language. Babsi took me along to an end of the school year girl gathering where her friends took me quickly in.


My overnight stop in Paris en route from Germany to the Val André gave me a taste of time with my Parisian daughter, Cornelia, who lived with us during the school year of 1994-1995. Her tiny studio apartment had just enough room for me to feel cozy, and for her to be glad that when I spend the last week in July in Paris, it will be in the youth hostel nearby with the Villanova student group! I will have plenty of free time that week to visit with her, as much as her summer schedule permits.


My new friends in Lyon, Frédérique the Lotr fan, and English teacher Yvette Jeandet-Compagnat and her husband Olivier, join the Ginioux and Lessart families as homes that I will look forward to visiting again.




Jean-Baptiste and Léa Ginioux discover the camera option in my new laptop and snap their own portrait. What wonderful young people! Such a blessing to have friends that are both so far and so near, so quick to pick up where we left off even years later. It is a marvel of human nature that we can forge ties that endure.