My wintry trip to western Europe was fruitful from a research standpoint. I visited many places listed in my grandfather's WWI diary, getting the lay of the land and solving some mysteries. I also made useful contacts along the way.I got back to New York last Wednesday, and was surprised to see that Gotham was just as snowy as Germany. It's been a long and hard winter for many people.
One of the best decisions I made on this trip was to stay at B&Bs (chambres d'hote). Besides being an inexpensive alternative to hotels, it was a wonderful way to get to know some French families. All the rooms I had were comfortably furnished and cost less than $50 per night including breakfast. The breakfasts often included products made right on the spot: jams, jellies, fruit juice and yogurt. I recommend the experience highly if you're going to France and want to stay outside the cities. There's a French Web site that helps you find rooms and farm products for sale.
Here's a shout-out to the individual chambres d'hote where I stayed:
Outside Remiremont in the Moselle valley Bernadette and Jean-Marc Desmougin welcomed me warmly to Les Mitreuches. They were very helpful with my search and generous with their farm products.
Just down the road in the town of Vecoux I spent a night with Monique and Gerard DuPré and had a great home-cooked meal. Their chalet has one room to rent with a very comfortable bed. M. DuPré is a local historian and most interested in the project. He gave me some books about the local history and has already emailed material pertaining to my grandfather's stay in the region.
Then, in tiny Maxey sur Vaise (pop. 330), Danielle Noisette and her family made me feel most welcome. I had a private apartment off a side entrance to their 18th-century house. Danielle took pity on me and invited to dine with her family one evening due to the remoteness of the area. It was a real treat; again, practically everything came out of their farm. In addition to running her B&B, Danielle also rents entire vacation properties.
In Germany I stayed for two nights at „Die Scheune” mit Gästehaus „St. Hubertus”, or "The Barn" with "St. Hubertus" Guesthouse, near Bad Kreuznach. This solid stone house (and barn) was once a mill. The setting is probably really lovely in the summer with its many trees and a private garden. They host social events in the barn during the warm months. However, the courtyard was filled with increasing amounts of snow while I was there. In contrast to the inclement weather, I was greeted warmly by owner Klaus Moehring. He provides a delicious breakfast in one's room.
Here's a shout-out to the individual chambres d'hote where I stayed:
Outside Remiremont in the Moselle valley Bernadette and Jean-Marc Desmougin welcomed me warmly to Les Mitreuches. They were very helpful with my search and generous with their farm products.
Just down the road in the town of Vecoux I spent a night with Monique and Gerard DuPré and had a great home-cooked meal. Their chalet has one room to rent with a very comfortable bed. M. DuPré is a local historian and most interested in the project. He gave me some books about the local history and has already emailed material pertaining to my grandfather's stay in the region.
Then, in tiny Maxey sur Vaise (pop. 330), Danielle Noisette and her family made me feel most welcome. I had a private apartment off a side entrance to their 18th-century house. Danielle took pity on me and invited to dine with her family one evening due to the remoteness of the area. It was a real treat; again, practically everything came out of their farm. In addition to running her B&B, Danielle also rents entire vacation properties.
In Germany I stayed for two nights at „Die Scheune” mit Gästehaus „St. Hubertus”, or "The Barn" with "St. Hubertus" Guesthouse, near Bad Kreuznach. This solid stone house (and barn) was once a mill. The setting is probably really lovely in the summer with its many trees and a private garden. They host social events in the barn during the warm months. However, the courtyard was filled with increasing amounts of snow while I was there. In contrast to the inclement weather, I was greeted warmly by owner Klaus Moehring. He provides a delicious breakfast in one's room.
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