When I first came to my village, my neighbour and mentor Remy told me it never snows in this part of France. I believed him, I had no reason not to though I thought it was odd as we are in the far north known by the southerners as the north pole of France.
After my first winter here and on getting to know Remy a lot better I realise that he just likes to tease and confuse and finds it amusing to say things that are often a long way from the truth at times.
It does snow here in my part of France and has done every winter since I’ve had a house here, and often it’s quite heavy snow.
My area is known as the Seven Valleys and it is a beautiful part of the country, rural, ancient and very fertile.
When it snows here, the hills look quite magnificent, dotted with ancient buildings, old wells, crumbling bunkers left behind after World War II, churches and tiny chapels.
If you look closely you’ll find deer, wild pigs, herons, pheasants and other wild animals as well as horses who seem on the whole to enjoy the snow. The cows and farm animals are away in their barns at this time of year, seeing out the cold weather with as much protection as the farmers can muster to keep their precious livestock well.
It’s always lovely when the snow comes but it’s also lovely when it goes and we start to dream of spring…
A bientôt Janine
