Wild Postcards

Translated from the French description on the back: “The Beaujolais vineyard extends over 55 km from north to south, and 15 km from east to west. It covers 22,000 hectares spread over 96 municipalities. Average annual harvest, around 1,300,000 hl (that is, 1.3 million hectolitres, or 130 million litres), 50% from the Beaujolais region, 25% from the Beaujolais Village, and 25% from the ten famous wineries: 180 million bottles.”

This is an official Postcrossing card from Maria; it made the journey from Beaujolais all the way to me in Georgia, USA in only seven days.  Maria’s handwriting is very, very French, especially the 1′s and 7′s in my address; her writing looks just like that of my first French language teacher.  Maria, je vous remercie de tout coeur.

Translated from the French description on the back: “The Beaujolais vineyard extends over 55 km from north to south, and 15 km from east to west. It covers 22,000 hectares spread over 96 municipalities. Average annual harvest, around 1,300,000 hl (that is, 1.3 million hectolitres, or 130 million litres), 50% from the Beaujolais region, 25% [...]

I don’t know that we would refer to this as the Bishop’s Palace today; I believe that the correct term is the bishopric. Both buildings obviously bear the scars of German artillery taken by the town during the Battle of Verdun, which lasted almost the entire year of 1916.

Of course, anyone who has taken French lessons will probably recall Verdun as the home of the neighbor of le gentil garçon qui prononce bien.

In addition to the usual notices one would find on the back of a postcard in any language (that is, Post Card, This Side Reserved for the Address, This Side Reserved for Message), this one also says that Aucune inscription n’est admise du côte de la Vue — basically, you’re not allowed to write on the side with the picture. Through most of the first ten years of the 20th century, one was only allowed to write one’s message on the side with the picture, and ten years later the French won’t let us write on that side at all. Make up your minds!

You can find more French postcards (and others) at Cpaphil Vintage Postcards, whose webmaster (webmaîtresse?), Marie, was kind enough to send me a comment recently.

I don’t know that we would refer to this as the Bishop’s Palace today; I believe that the correct term is the bishopric. Both buildings obviously bear the scars of German artillery taken by the town during the Battle of Verdun, which lasted almost the entire year of 1916. Of course, anyone who has taken [...]