In Le Grand Pressigny, like many other villages in the Loire valley and indeed France, the lights go out at night to conserve energy, so, as to not have our guests be met unknowingly by this, we inform them during our introductory chat and in our information booklet (very professional don't you think?).This means if they do go out and are returning late they are not met (as we were in the early days) by a 'black wall' and have torches with them to find their way into the house. However I may have to re-write this as the guests thought it meant a total voluntary ban on the use of electricity and had being going about for the first couple of nights (after 11.30pm) with torches - how sweet. When told they could of course 'light up' they were very amused and somewhat relieved, that this conservation act was over for their stay!
It is easy to understand their thinking this as we have often looked over our part of the village and found it difficult to find a light source - this will be a lot to do with shutters but also the careful use of an expensive resource!
As we were leaving they said it was nice that they could stay up a little later that night....
A misunderstanding that is not helped, of course, by the weekend Paris cottagers, the Summer onlies and a very dead Hotel... when we bought La Forge, at least the bar at the end of the Hotel was still running [though probably not at 11.30pm!]
ReplyDeleteInteresting to note on a similar theme that, on what should be a busy 'Patrimoine' weekend, that Grand Ma's is closed 'exceptionally' and Spar shop is only open am. Our latest guests arrived yesterday - wanted to dine out - no can do- never mind we will pick up something locally -no can do - the butcher perhaps - sign says he's open - he's not - 'let them eat cake' - good old boulangerie.
ReplyDeleteSeptember is here...
ReplyDeleteLa France is now closed for business until May prochaine!!
Actually, they are all taking their 'conges' while there is still a little warmth around.
There is plenty to eat at La Celle Geunand aujourdui... unless you are vegetarian.
It just goes to show that no matter how carefully you word your instructions, or explain, there will always be someone who misinterprets it !!
ReplyDeleteI think they really wanted it to be true - makes a great holiday story!
ReplyDelete