One of the most rewarding things about my tours and writing Eye Prefer Paris is the interesting people from all walks of life I’ve met in the past 13 years. Some I’ve only met once but have impacted my life and others I have made friends with. Many of them have shared amazing stories about their personal lives.
This story happened in a precarious way. On February 21, my blog post featured Bernadette Martin as my Parisian of the Month and I received a message from Ann Wexler, a blog subscriber that was actually sent to me instead of being forwarded to a friend. The message said that she was going to sign up for Bernadette’s Stories event on March 16. I emailed her back saying she sent the message to me instead of her friend. We exchanged a few messages after that and Ann said she and her husband Tony were going to be in Paris in February and March. I invited her and Tony to see my photo exhibit at Le Pont Royal, and we would have a coffee after. In some of her previous emails, she told me Tony was born and raised in Granville France and Christian Dior was his second cousin. Now I was totally psyched to meet Tony because I wanted hear about his upbringing and his relationship with Christian Dior. Over coffee he told me a touching story about how Christian was so kind and generous to him when he was young and how no one had ever shown such an interest in him in such a special way, that it influenced him for the rest of his life. After verbally hearing the stories, I asked Tony if he would write it story form for Eye Prefer Paris. He said yes, and here’s the result. Tony and Ann are both retired and live in Ithaca, New York. Tony was prominent and well renowned labor lawyer and his most high profile work was with Cesar Chavez in the late 1960s, where they fought for and implemented new labor laws for farmers.
Here is Tony’s story.
Dear Richard,
I’m so glad you had the opportunity to visit the Dior house in Granville. My mother actually slept in that house for a couple of months in 1914, a result of the outbreak of WW I. I have a later picture of her, Christian, and his sister Jacqueline, taken in the garden of Les Rhumbs around 1920. Long-haired Christian looks like a hippie before his time.
Christian is in the third row extreme right, tall, with long hair. My mother Elisabeth is second from left in the second row. Her brother Alexandre third from left next to my mother. Fourth, directly in front of Christian is his sister Jacqueline, my Tante Jacqueline.
What I would like people to remember about Christian Dior is his extreme gentleness and kindness no less than his genius. He was a shy little boy who nevertheless enjoyed life, his family, and his friends. He loved dressing his sister Jacqueline, my mother Elisabeth (his first cousin) and friends such as Paule Peant in elaborate costumes. He once came across a seamstress crying in his Avenue Montaigne headquarters; she had been sent out to buy lunch for the other seamstresses and lost the kitty. Christian opened his wallet, handed her the money, and said:
“Je veux qu’on soit heureux chez moi.” ( I want to be happy at home)It was a large part of his philosophy of life, in his business no less than in his private and personal life.
On my first encounter with him (I was 10 years old) I ran forward to meet my famous cousin. He greeted me warmly, took my hands in his, and asked me if I wanted to play in his garden (This was at his estate the Moulin du Coudret):
At that moment my mother rushed up: “Mais non, Christian” she cried. “Il sera tres content de rester assis avec nous.” (But no, Christian "she cried. "He will be very happy to sit with us)
“Ne sois pas ridicule ( Don’t be ridiculous , Elisabeth ” Christian replied in his sing-song voice. “Cet enfant ne veut pas rester assis plante la a ecouter des vielles personnes parler.”(“This child does not want to sit and listen to the old people talking.”)
He turned to me“ A tu apporte un maillot de bain?” (did you bring a bathing suit?) I hadn’t. Christian turned to his butler: “Marcel, auriez vous un maillot de bain qui irait a monsieur?” Marcel, would you have a bathing suit for Tony? )
Marcel looked down somewhat dubiously on “monsieur” from his considerably greater height, and then went off to get the bathing suit. It was about five sizes too big, but I tied it around my waist & went swimming in the 16th century millrace of Christian’s home, adapted into a lovely swimming pool. It was for me a moment of pure happiness which I have never forgotten.
Stories written about Christian make it clear this was no exception or extraordinary act. He treated his god-children and the children of his friends with great attention and affection, and is remembered by them with love and affection. In later years I have walked the paths of the Dior garden in Granville thinking about the shy little boy who walked those same paths thinking thoughts that would later make him word-famous.
Hand signed book to Tony from Christian Dior.
August in Paris- My Marais Apartment for Rent August 16 to August 29
I am renting my Marais loft from August 16 to August 29 (Dates are flexible). Contrary to popular myth that Paris is closed in August, most shops, restaurants, and attractions are open in Paris, especially in the Marais. The weather is usually beautiful, temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit during the day, dropping into the mid 60s at night. In case in gets warmer, I have an air conditioner in the bedroom and a large fan in the living area.
Minimum rental period is 7 days/one week, price 1500€ for 7 days/one week, 2900€ for 14 days/2 weeks.
Conveniently located by the Saint Paul metro, in the heart of the Marais, the apartment is a spacious one-bedroom 750 sq. ft. loft with 12 ft. ceilings, decorated in chic Mid-Century Modern furniture and sleeps two people in a Queen size bed. Amenities include washer/dryer, 16" flat screen TV, dishwasher, internet connection/Wifi and free long distance calls to the U.S. The apartment is located on the second floor with a large elevator
Please email me at [email protected] if you are interested.
If you love salted butter caramels, please watch my newest A Bite of Paris video about Henri Le Roux, the man who actually invented the salted butter caramel.
Click here to watch or link below
https://youtu.be/Am22oSA_UYc
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