In 2005 Rosemary Border Rabson and husband John Rabson emigrated to the Morvan in rural Burgundy, where few other Brits have ventured. Their chief preoccupation is Charity Cottage, a holiday home-from-home in their garden at Maré le Bas which they run in aid of Combat Stress (money donations) and Help for Heroes (free accommodation). Since 2012, when Charity Cottage won the Daily Telegraph’s Best British Charity award, the total amount raised for Combat Stress, comprising UK royalties and donations from visitors to Charity Cottage, is nudging £10,000.
We love Cervon! We have lived at Maré le Bas in the commune of Cervon since 2005. This magnificent poster (pictured above) celebrating Cervon recently appeared on our local notice boards. I hope it will encourage some of you to visit when le confinement (which conveys the pain of parturition with none of the joy) … Read more
I am typing this on 2nd January 2021, and there is good news and bad news. Let’s leave it to the media to discuss the bad news. Among the good news here in France is that we are no longer compelled, every time we leave the house, to carry an Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire signed … Read more
Type CHRISTMAS into your search box and you will see that what we call Christmas today is essentially a pagan midwinter festival, which was adopted by the early Christians to coincide with the (supposed) birth of Jesus. In December, Jews celebrate Hanukkah, their eight-day festival of lights. Digression That calls to mind a limerick. “A … Read more
I am typing this on October 30th 2020. I have just looked up my earlier November effusions. Those were the days! At 8 pm last night, President Macron announced the reimposition of lockdown – le confinement. So, once again, we must all carry an Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire every time we leave the house. We … Read more
We always look forward to the Journées du Patrimoine – European Heritage Days – during the third weekend in September. You can visit the European Heritage Days website here. European Heritage Days enable us to visit public and private buildings, including some which are rarely open to the public. For many years, friends, family and … Read more
Another free library The free library in Corbigny, which I featured in my August effusion, prompted John’s brother, David, to send this picture of the one in his village in the West Country. He wrote: “I am sure that you remember the Great British red telephone box. Due to the rise of the mobile phone, … Read more
Chris in Calgary emailed me with a picture of what she called a little free library. Well, the same idea has caught on in Corbigny and there is a larger version in the shopping mall at Avallon. In the lockdown, with socialising so restricted, free libraries like this are a godsend.Mind you, I have been … Read more
Here in the Morvan we have all been labouring under lockdown. The Mairie has issued us all with washable face masks. It is advised, but not obligatory, to wear masks in situations such as shops. There is a wealth of advice on line for DIY masks and I have seen people wearing beautiful creations they … Read more
Here in the Morvan we have all been labouring under lockdown, although I have yet to hear of a single case of the virus in our neighbourhood. Last week les pompiers rushed our friend Anne to hospital in Nevers with acute peritonitis. Her surgery went well and she is out of danger, but she is … Read more
The Rabsons are sociable souls, who in an ideal world would be planning a party to celebrate 15 glorious years in the Morvan. Our 10th anniversary bash was a triumph. In normal circumstances the invitations would be in the post or email, Charity Cottage would be packed solid and we would be preparing a feast … Read more