Chennevierès-Sur-Marne

Kevin and I are moving to the burbs (of Paris) aka Le Banlieue!  Sébastien's grandparent's home in the 12th century village of, Chenevierès-Sur-Marne, is vacant.  We can live there for less than 1/2 of our Paris rent and it has everything we need wifi, unlimited calls to the US, Mexico and 77 other countries (nobody knows which). Chenevierès is a town about 25 minutes by train and a 15 minute walk across the River Marne from Paris. Above is a modern street corner on the way to the house in the "new town center." The original town center dates from the 12th century and includes a church that now lies in ruin. I am so there! We had tea and sliced apples over conversation about what should be brought to the house to make us more comfortable. I couldn't  think of anything other than maybe a good humored chemist with some equipment but unfortunately none was available. Ok, I will have to do without.

This is the view crossing the River Marne.

It wasn't so difficult to get there but we kept barely making it to the trains. The "the doors are about to shut on your neck" siren was going off each time and we ran and jumped and squeezed in without a second to spare. I was nervous because early last  month I got caught and Kevin and two other guys had to pry the doors open for me to squeeze in just in time for the train to whisk off. It would have been a brutal and meaningless end to me otherwise.  Reckless, I know but I was so excited and curious to see what Sébastien called his "ancestral home". The home belonged to his great grandfather and then grandfather then father and now to him and his twin sisters. I was told it had wild culinary herbs growing in the giant unkempt garden overlooking the village towards Paris and that on a clear day you can see the Eiffel Tower. Perfect! 

Well, the years have not been kind to La Simplette (the home's name.) 

These are the steps that led to the original building's entryway. 

It was once grand I am sure.

Here is what is left of that original building now covered in tangled dried brush.

Sébastien mentioned in passing that his father had destroyed the original building to forget his childhood. We didn't pry. He later added as an aside that the neighbor had continued to take down the house to keep it from obstructing his view of Paris. The new house is considerably more humble but comfortable and I think we will like living there.