Maria, delighted:
Maria is one of his extraordinary women, who have undoubtedly left their mark; NOON, no such traces, not in the newspapers, not on a commemorative plaque or the name of a square. No, a true trace, in the memory, the respect of the genre, a trace in what defines the love and the devotion, one of the most beautiful traces, of those which are invisible.
Maria was born in the 1900s in Celles sur Ource, a child from the village where she met her husband, Albert also from Celles sur Ource.
Together they live for a long time the house of « Mother Alice » as I always called, not very far from 3 Rue du Pré, a few dozen meters.
Maria and Albert lived on wine, modestly of course. The red wine was made at the time with gamay (today not allowed in the champagne appellation).
The wine was sold to traders, and it was very difficult to get paid.
The couple went through the wars, Maria had to, like many women at the time, fend for herself.
From this union two children were born; Irene and Roland. If these two ruffians were at the heart of Maria’s life, they had to share her daily life with a master hand.
The vineyard, the house, the children.
Then, the vineyard, the house, the children: alone.
Maria becomes a widow in 1946, she will live 24 years alone, devoted to her children, autonomous and strong.
She had the good fortune to know Simone and Joëlle, her little girls from the union of her son Roland with Alice.
This is a turning point in her life, since her wish being to leave her « big » family home to her son, she accepts that the latter buys her little house in which she will end her days.
And that is born « the house of the grandmother Maria » this country house and its garden, located in the center of Celles.
This house is the tangible trace of this simple life filled with love, this house that transpires memories, like that of Lionel, son of Simone and Henri, grandson of Alice and Roland, great-grandson of Maria who played with Maria in the kitchen, with the little horses game, and who often won not to say all the time …
Today it is Oriane who recovered this house, daughter of Lionel, little girl of Simone and Henri, great-granddaughter of Alice and Roland and thus great-great-grand-daughter of Maria.
She wants to make it a place to witness this family story, often written in the feminine, a place that since Maria patiently waited that we want to listen to him tell us …
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Below is a part of the collection of postcards from Celles-sur-Ource from the time of Maria!
Family photo of the wedding of Maria’s daughter: Irene with Maurice. There is Maria (in the medallion), on his right Albert, but also their son Roland and his wife Alice on the right of the newlyweds.
Photo of the Place de l’Eglise, close to the Grand-Mère Maria, a dynamic place where groceries, bakery, butcher, administration service, etc …
Here is a nice overview of Celles sur Ource and its vineyard, we clearly recognize the Church of St. Madeleine and the man and his hood are on the way to the airfield.
An old gardener
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