I’m off to tie the knot and have a voyage de noces (that’s French for honeymoon/wedding trip I’m pretty sure if the online translation site can be trusted) in Paris. I’m armed with a bookcase’s worth of slick guidebooks that we’ll probably ignore in favor of just having a look at what’s around the next corner and through the park gate. And I’ll also be packing copies of letters – more like a carnet de voyage from a 20 year old Margorie Van Wickle in Paris to her mother, Bessie in 1903. When Margorie visited Paris she found it to be quite affordable – “…we went shopping in the ‘Bon Marche’ – a most facinating store where nothing costs anything“. Alas, we might not find that to be the case now… About the dangers of walking in Paris she says, “You get out into the middle of a Rue or Boulevarde and every carriage within hailing distance makes a rush for you…” And by her recommendation we can skip the Pantheon but must see “the Church of St. Etienne du Mont – the most charming one in Paris – I think. It is very old – but Oh so graceful and artistic. It made up for any amount of stupid Pantheons.” Have I mentioned how much I love the archives? I didn’t find any pictures of Margorie in Paris (no doubt there are some – just not scanned in yet) but here she is with her new husband George Lyon in 1914.

I’m hoping it’s spring in Paris already and I’m leaving just as it is starting to emerge here. In two weeks time, who knows how far along she’ll be. I’ll make sure to come back and I hope you do too! Stay tuned…