This story is part of a series sharing my (Jennifer Pogmore) daily life, adapting and living within the walls of Château de Gudanes. Part 1 and Part 2 written over the wintertime seem so long ago as I now write and share Part 3 of my personal experience staying at the Château as France is in lockdown.
Geographically, the Château is nestled deep within a mountainous valley in the French Pyrenees - roughly 100 kilometres from the Andorran Border. And perhaps, given this rural and rugged environment and the diligence of the people living in it to isolate, the spread of the virus has been shielded. And historically, over the past 800 years the Château has stood strong and protected against and amidst the countless centuries of wars, revolutions and sickness…
But, amongst everything that has been happening in the world these last few months I have been left wondering how the lives of so many would have been affected in the rage of the Spanish Flu. And several decades before that when in the 1850s the cholera epidemic ravaged the local population. During these times the local villages surrounding the Château went into lockdown with strict quarantining (a practice which began in the 14th Century to prevent plague epidemics spreading from ships). During the cholera crisis, in the nearby village of Aston terrified villagers massacred an incoming group of people, seeking food and the shelter of the valley, out of fear that they would spread the disease. At this time and added to this misery, a famine caused by the potato blight swept through not only this region but across the whole of Europe as well as Ireland.
It is almost impossible to conceptualise what these people would have endured. And likewise, as I share this story I understand that my reality protected within the walls of this fortress may be very different to what you are going through in your own part of the world. There are problems and challenges faced by all of us during this time, and for some these challenges are greater and more numerous than others.
During this time, it is my sincere hope that this post simply shares some love, warmth and reassurance that we are all in need of wherever we are…
To continue from Part 2, at the beginning of February Karina returned to the Château to take over from Larissa and myself. She also needed to further finalise her documents for her French passeport talent. Coincidentally, during this month the Monuments Historique were to do an onsite visit to appraise the ongoing restoration work. The Château is classified as a Classe I Historical Monument (equivalent in historical status to the Tour Eiffel and Palace of Versailles) and so all works are required to be approved and inspected by the Historical Governing Body of France, similar to what would be expected of Historic England.
After looking after the Château and animals for three months over winter, Larissa and I made preparations to depart…
Our winter at the Château had come to an end and it was now time to bid our sad farewells (for now) and eagerly await our reunion at the Château in May with the prospect of another beautiful summer working together side by side in the Château pastry cuisine…
And so, Larissa made her way home to be with her family in Brazil, while I returned to Paris to see friends and then travelled to Norway to spend time with my boyfriend (do you remember the Gingerbread Château maker extraordinaire!).
I hadn’t planned to return to the Château until May when the whole Château Team would gather together in anticipation of the summer season of events.
During her time at the Château in February, Karina was joined by a young Australian couple, Martelle & Phillip. Both Martelle and Phillip had spent the last two years working in the theatre and film industry in London, and were preparing to start a life back in their home country of Australia… after a brief deviation to the Château! They had agreed to look after the Château for the next few weeks of Spring and this would allow Karina to return to Perth for a short time before making her way back to France with Jasmine to prepare the Château for the summer.
It may read like the family yo-yo back and forth however for Karina, visa and tax implications mean that it is difficult for her to stay more than three months at a time and no longer than six months per year. Jasmine, who has a British passport, usually stays onsite about ten months of the year but this time needed to consider her residency status in Australia before travelling back to France so soon to take care of things.
And so after two weeks of settling in Martelle and Phillip, Karina departed and Alfie now dotingly awaits her return…
A few days before Karina returned to Perth I made my way back to the Château after visiting my boyfriend. I decided to join Martelle and Phillip for a short while to make sure they were all into the routine of things and to help where I could. This way, I could also continue to liaise with the garden team in Karina’s absence and to begin to work on a few new projects.
As I settled back at the Château I also prepared myself for several more weeks of travelling - to Canada to visit my close friends and meet their new-born baby, to Paris to attend a wedding of another nearest and dearest, and to England to some spend time with my family and to celebrate my mother’s 70th birthday.
Whilst all the signs were there, reported repeatedly in the daily news, I don’t think anyone in Europe was really prepared for what we were about to face. Optimism remained high - of course I would still be travelling to Canada, of course the wedding would go ahead, and of course I would soon be seeing my family in England.
But the situation was worsening… I need not explain all the details and suffice to say that I made the decision to stay safely put at the Château. The most important thing was (and still is) to work together as a community to keep each other safe. Everyone has been making sacrifices and travels could wait.
And so, I found myself with Martelle & Phillip looking after the Château for the foreseeable future…
Another few days passed and more and more stringent measures began to be put into place by the French Government in order to protect us - enforced social distancing and all non-essential businesses were to be immediately closed.
Before we knew it, France officially went into confinement. The Président announced that we were only able to leave the house for essential purposes - such as to exercise (within a 1km perimeter of home) or to do grocery shopping.
To leave the house, we are required to fill in a permission form and tick what activity we are leaving for. This form has to be carried at all times, as police will monitor your activities and verify that you have these papers on you. Indeed they have!
Leaving the Château as little as possible is not a problem. We are able to walk around the surrounding acres each day to exercise within the property and there are plenty of rooms to explore and if needed enjoy a peaceful bit of solitude in...
Even under normal circumstances there is rarely need to leave for necessities - apart from perishables we buy all essentials in bulk enough to last for months at a time, just in case we are snowed in by the weather…
But for many of our neighbours as well as for many worldwide who live in different circumstances and conditions, this has not been so easy. And so, you may be wondering the wider implications of this lockdown for the area and its inhabitants…
Fortunately, our local boulangerie is deemed an essential business, and so from time to time we venture out prudently to stock up on freshly baked baguettes and a croissant or two.
However, the mayor of the local village to which the Château belongs soon reached out to all of the villagers with some news that was difficult for many to bare - henceforth open-air markets would be banned.
While I cannot pretend that I am not longing to be able to stroll through the marchés, wicker basket in hand, procuring freshly-made fromages and delicious saucisson from the market vendors, the reality of this decision runs much deeper. Artisans and small producers rely upon the sales of their products at these markets, and no longer being able to sell has an enormous impact on their livelihood.
To the rescue, the wonderful Marie-Andrée, a local friend of the Château from the neighbouring village calls me. She has rallied around the surrounding villages and has set up an order system - fruit and vegetables directly from the producer, and meat directly from the butcher. At the very least, we are able to support our local producers in a little way.
As if this isn’t enough, our dear amie also brings us eggs when she can, and after a phone call received on Easter Sunday, I ventured out to the front gates to see a little parcel of fresh eggs awaiting us.
On a day upon which none of us could be with our families, it was the most touching sentiment and we all felt as though the sheer generosity and warmth of this incredible woman had been translated into that one small gesture, without the need for the exchange of any words…
But to continue on, what then of the Château animals? For them certainly, life seems to be comme d’habitude. Our local vet remains open for emergencies - this is a great relief as with a menagerie of two dogs and six cats, a visit inevitably always seems to be looming around the corner! We have also been able to continue feeding the stray cats living at the local cemetery, as fortunately this is positioned within 1km of the Château.
With more time spent at home the dogs and cats have been enjoying extra time spent walking with us around the Château’s wonderful grounds, and for this outside space I am most thankful…
And to continue down the garden path…
The restoration this year has mainly been focused on the Château grounds. And so, prior to lockdown our jardin team was in full swing - clearing ivy and brambles from the parkland, planting roses and trees, and unearthing a hidden wall alongside the pigeonnier. More details to come in Karina’s garden blog post bientôt but for now I just thought that I would share a few photos of the serre de jardin…
With the garden work inevitably halting, for Martelle, Phillip and I it has been essential to ensure the plants are watered and cared for, especially with the weather oscillating wildly between snowfall one minute followed by sunshine and then rain the next. Despite the sporadic weather however, spring is now appearing in full force throughout the valley, bringing with it new hope as the grounds bursts into life with fruit blossom, daffodils and snowdrops…
“That is one good thing about this world… there are always sure to be more springs”
– L.M. Montgomery
The garden team remain safely at home, waiting to return once restrictions here are lifted. And in the meantime Daniele, the cheffe jardinière, has been instructing us on all of the edible plants and flowers in season around the grounds so that we are able to use them in the kitchen. As such, foraging has become one of our new favourite past-times - we have picked nettles for soup and pesto, rose petals for jam, lilacs for syrups and wildflowers for pressing…
And so, within the Château walls the atmosphere remains positive and wonderfully creative - the kitchen the central hub of activity. Meals are carefully planned and orchestrated with the occasional dessert or deux (ou trois, quatre ou cinq) made possible using minimal ingredients…
Aside from busying myself in the kitchen, I have also been continuing to work closely with Karina and Jasmine on more and more projects and general French administration. Next year will mark the 10 year anniversary of the very first time that the Waters family saw the Château. And so, we are all anticipating and planning big celebrations for 2021… but you didn’t hear it from me!
At the Château, all restoration works have also been suspended and Karina and Jasmine made the difficult yet necessary decision to cancel this year’s summer stays. As Larissa’s and my work as pastry chefs is usually seasonal during this summertime period we both feel very grateful that they expanded our roles within the Château Team at the beginning of this year so that now we are able to work remotely and support ourselves through this time.
Fortunately, Karina had measures in place so that in the case of an event like this the Château continues to be able to support herself and her team, as things recover. And so, we (the Château Team) are all very thankful to have this financial safety during a time of such difficulty worldwide.
As for Martelle and Phillip, each day after all of their volunteer work is completed Phillip works at writing in the Salle à Manger, occasionally stopping to strum a few strings on his guitar. He is currently working on a version of a screenplay in which he may or may not have substituted some character names for the names of the Château animals…
Likewise, Martelle has been hand embroidering an exquisite replica of the Château that originally began as a sketch. She sits in an armchair by the window and the cats each take turns to try and jump up on her to steal a thread or two to play with…
In the evenings, as the sun disappears over the valley and the temperature drops, the fire burns brightly and the animals return home, exhausted from their daily activities in the gardens, to curl up by the cheminée…
A linen sheet has been strung up from one of the étagères laden with porcelain, to create a makeshift projector for a home cinema. Jigsaw puzzle boxes have been dusted off, sheet music uncovered, and pencils and sketching pads taken out as we yearn for more simple and wholesome ways to pass the time…
Similarly in another hemisphere, Karina and Jasmine are busy in between Château work - stealing some moments to illustrate flowers, try their hand at new recipes and watch as many period dramas as time will allow!
With video calls to Brazil every few days I also feel as if Larissa is always with me, even as she stays with her family at home, trying her hand at painting (with beautiful results I might add).
And so, I write to you on Day 48 of lockdown here in France. On behalf of the Château, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of the essential workers - supermarkets workers, healthcare employees, teachers, delivery drivers, carers and more - who have been supporting not only France and Australia but also the world through this time. We are sending our love to everyone far and wide, especially those who have lost their loved ones.
Easter weekend has come and gone, and for many of us we passed this time away from our families and friends and perhaps also grieving. But, as the world now begins to reopen and take its first tentative steps outside to reunite with family, friends and loved ones (in France we are preparing to see limitations tentatively lifted), so here we watch the flowers of the Château garden bloom and flourish simultaneously. And with this there bears a sense of hope…
“The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also…”
– Harriet Ann Jacobs
From our current home at the Château to yours, we hope that this message finds you and your dearest loved ones safe and well wherever you may be, and above all, staying positive. I myself wait for the day that Larissa and I will be united once again in the Château pastry kitchen, with lots of laughter, baking and love…
Take care and amitiés,
Jennifer x
Photos courtesy of Château de Gudanes, Jennifer Pogmore, Peter Dillon et Kayla Fletcher. Merci beaucoup !
