Last week I received this message, and I promise you it’s real:
“It’s nice for a French bloke to see that you guys love my country despite all the bloody conflicts we had and I am thrilled for your commitment to share it to your fellow citizens. You deserve the sacred Legion d’honneur for promoting my lovely country. Thanks a million. A French fan. Lol!”
“Bloody conflicts” refers to fall outs between England and France such as the French invasion in 1066. This resulted in a Norman regent on the throne of England – Willlam the Conqueror – and indeed the establishment of French as the language of the English for 300 years. He also means the Hundred Years War when England invaded France (or bits of it at least) and the famous battle of Agincourt. The history of conflict between England and France is long and plentiful.
Actually if truth be told, though I was born in England I’m a mixed bag as it were! My grandmother on one side was Italian, she came from a long line of trapeze artists. I did not inherit their skills and am able to fall off a low kerb or a medium heel height pair of shoes with ease. One of my great grandfathers came from Germany, another from Wales. I have aunts and uncles from all over the place and family in Australia, New Zealand, America, Italy, France, Germany, Cyprus, UK, Turkey, China – I’ve sort of lost count of the rest but I am certainly cosmopolitan!
Anyway, I love the idea of getting the Legion d’Honneur, especially since I live near Boulogne-sur-Mer where Napoleon issued the very first medal in 1804. However, I fear I have a long way to go! I only started The Good Life France three years ago and as qualification for an award requires considerably longer in the service of France I will need to publish quite a few more posts before then!
However, if anyone wants to put me up for blog awards, best writer, best photo, best all-round sharing out the love awards – feel free!
In the meantime, I will work on the next 22 years worth of service to France with my posts, photos, Facebook, Twitter and The Good Life France Magazine, this website, my freelance work about France and I’m going to be mighty disappointed if they don’t give me a badge after all that!
See the glorious Opal Coast in photos including Napoleon’s Column at Boulogne-sur-Mer, the spot where he awarded the very first Legion d’honneur.
Agincourt 2015 – a year of commemoration and loads of events for this famous battle of the Hundred Years War
