Tea at Trianon: ‎Château de Borneau

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, November 29, 2020

‎Château de Borneau

From My Journal:

Erin and Jean quickly realized that they could afford a much better lifestyle for themselves in France, and had considered purchasing a property they could renovate together. It became clear that this might be the perfect new opportunity for them. The couple both shared a unique interest and appreciation for historic buildings, and soon began looking into purchasing a heritage home that they could invest in, likely one that would need a bit of extra work. They figured that they could let out part of their property to holiday-goers as a way of making extra income. Erin still feared that her French wouldn’t improve enough to land a job. As it turned out, she needn’t have worried. They perused the property market, looking at manoirs (manor houses) in the countryside. They soon realized that with the right property, they could turn their new house into full-time employment for both of them!
[...]
They were unsure, but the property he sent them was only a 45-minute drive from where they were staying. They figured it was worth a look, and that maybe luck would strike. And strike it did! The property was absolutely breath-taking, and they described their first visit as a coup de foudre - love at first sight. The stunning estate was nestled in Vendée, Pays de Loire, a region in western France. On the edge of a forest near the small village of Bourneau, the building looked like something out of a fairytale. The couple knew that they had found their new home within the grounds of the Château de Bourneau. (Read more.)