Hello, in France
Several readers of this blog are located in France. It would be very nice if someone there who has information of the past or present owners of the Chateau de Launay in Sigournais in Vendee, would contact me. Margaret Vail, who was Madame Robert de Launay, wrote a book called Yours Is the Earth in 1944 and many who appreciated that book, are interested to know what more happened to the family after that book told the story. We know Robert came home from wartime prison camp and later the daughter Rose-Helene lived and worked in Geneva, Switzerland. Do any of you know where Rose-Helene lives today? What happened with regard to the chateau? Did Rose-Helene inherit it and did she ever return there to live?
Many years ago Margaret Vail and I had a correspondence which ended with her health problems. She had a stroke around 1962. Many admirers of Margaret Vail have tried to make connection with someone who has some answers, for 67 years. I do not read French, but you most likely can write English, or you would not be reading this now. Do let me hear from you. Thank you most kindly. Lindsley Rinard ♥♥♥
Thank you so much for the chapter you reproduced. It is sort of a closure, after all these years, to a literary mystery, and is much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteIf you do a Google search on the internet for Chateau de Launay (or Delaunay), Sigournais, Vendee, you come up with:
http://www.domaine-de-launay.fr/faire-la-fete.html
If you just type in Chateau de Launay, without any other words, you come up with:
http://www.chateaudelaunay.com/home.html
I am not in France, but they may both be in the Pays de la Loire region. Could one be "L'Ormeau" and the other be the chateau belonging to Robert's parents? They are both available for rental in some manner or another, for vacations or events.
There appear to be other chateaux with similar names but their location seems to rule them out.
You can also do a Google Maps search and get satellite pictures of the grounds.
Ms. Rinard, if you still have the photograph Madame de Launay sent you of her chateau, you may be able to compare it against the internet pictures of these two chateaux and figure out which one was hers.
If you read French, or use the Google translation, you can come up with some more information, such as that a mayor of the town from (if I recall correctly) 1946 to 1968 was one Robert de Launay.
Speaking of internet seaches, I note you have written some well received books. I intend to read some of your work.
C. McLeod