Postcards from Paris: { josephine baker and le chateau des milandes }

We took the small country roads from Paris to Bordeaux early Saturday morning. The sun still hadn’t risen when we took the road at 5:30am. Our initiative was to arrive in time for a traditional Bordeaux lunch, and then to catch a turn through the Chateau of Joséphine Baker. I’ve had some defining moments strolling through Paris while listening to Joséphine Baker. The stereotypes of the city are highlighted when listening to “J’ai Deux Amours” and a stop at the nearest boulangerie for a gouter emporter is justified. Recently when a certain French monsieur told me of the time he visited her chateau in Dordogne when he was young, I was intrigued by the adventure he then proposed. Joséphine Baker outside of Paris, could she define another French façade, in Bordeaux?

And then we listened to that song of her's, good ole' “J’ai Deux Amours” as we drove through the winding country roads. Spring’s first blossoms were beginning and there were dandelions sprouting out from all of the vineyards.  My question was answered; her songs are defining regardless of the region, but there will always be an echo of Paris no matter where we are when she sings:

On dit qu'au-delà des mers,
It is said that above the seas?
Là-bas sous le ciel clair,
Over there under the clear sky,
Il existe une cité, au séjour enchanté.
Exists a city, where the stay is enchanted
Et sous les grands arbres noirs,
And under the big black trees,
Chaque soir,
Every evening,
Vers elle s'en va tout mon espoir.
Towards it leaves all my hope
J'ai deux amours
I have two loves
Mon pays et Paris.
My country and Paris
Par eux toujours,
By them always
Mon coeur est ravi.
is my heart ravished.
Manhattan est belle,
Manhattan is beautiful
Mais à quoi bon le nier :
But why deny it,
Ce qui m'ensorcelle, c'est Paris,
what puts a spell on me is Paris,
c'est Paris tout entier.
Paris in its whole.
Le voir un jour,
Seeing it one day
c'est mon rêve joli.
is my pretty dream
J'ai deux amours,
I have two loves,
Mon pays et Paris.
My country and Paris.

Bisous,
Reba