Berric, France - The French Countryside and Green Absinthe

Oct 15, 2004

Franz is an accomplished musician that came to America a few years ago to study. Here he met Jason’s uncle, a masterful musician himself and they began a steady friendship which lasted even after Franz was called home to Germany when his father became ill. After the death of his father, Franz stayed in Germany to keep up the estate there and inherited the beautiful chateau in Berric, France that his mother long kept as an exquisite bed and breakfast.

When we arrived at the chateau we gazed in awe at the sheer size and magnificence of the estate. It was amazing! Ivy and climbing flowers covered aged stone walls, and were framed by lush green fields.

God bless all friends and family! Franz told us we could stay as long as we like for free, if we wanted to buy our own meals. That certainly wasn’t a problem for us, especially after we’d visited the local markets and discovered that we could get top shelf wines for the price of bottom shelf wines in the United States. Another pleasant surprise for us was presence of green Absinthe available in every store. Anyone who has seen the movie Moulin Rouge should recognize Absinth as the alcoholic drink that made the drinkers think they saw the ‘green fairy’. It’s banned in the U.S. because of the thujone in the wormwood, which is the herbal ingredient that gives it the strong bitterness.

We soon discovered that the wormwood had the affect of making you feel ‘mellow’ after just one glass of Absinthe, where it would take several bottles of beer to get the same affect. Yet despite four bottles of green Absinthe during our stay in Berric, none of us saw any green fairies.


Next: Vannes France >>

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Berric, France "City of Life"

Weathered and aged, but of goodly spirits
Cheerful despite the weather
Like a plump and wholesome country grandmother
A smile and a cookie to ward of the storm
Moss creeps up the stone
As age creeps up on the old
But there is life and joy of life
To keep even the old age pleasant
A soft eyed cow
The bleat of a lamb
Life surrounds and uplifts the weary pilgrim
Here there is life and laughter
In the wind even the trees sing of it
Storms blow and rain falls
But open hearths give heart
Open doors give warmth
Open arms give joy...

- Taliahad Oct 15, 2004