If you head east out of Metz on the way to Strasbourg you will pass through the small village of Grigy, my home for a few years back in the early 60's. We lived in a trailer park there while Dad awaited accomodations in the new apartment blocks being readied in the city for the Canadian military and their families. It was a cool and cloudy day when Marie and I drove out past the turnoffs for Chesny and Peltre and entered Grigy from the new roundabout. I recognized the lay of the land immediately, the road rising to crest the hill and the silhouette of Chateau Mercy in the distance, fields of mustard and pastureland as far as the eye could see. Beside the chateau a new hospital has been built, the Hopital de Mercy, it's bulk overshadowing the old but still imposing building where Dad used to work. Sadly though the chateau is in disrepair, abandoned to time and pigeons, trees having taken root on the roof and the grounds about that I remember used to be kept so immaculate. Before leaving I took away a small piece of metal from one of the columns as a memento. Hopefully it won't be missed. If things continue as they are for this stately and beautiful chateau it won't be all that will disappear from history.
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| at the roundabout going to Grigy |
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| Chateau Mercy |
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| the Chateau and the new hospital to the right |
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| remembering |
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| bullet and shell holes from the war on the exterior |
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| abandoned to the elements |
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| Marie admiring the ironwork in the main entrance |
From the chateau, a few minutes away by car from the village, we headed into Grigy. It had grown over the years yet I could still find the entrance to where the trailer park used to be off the tree-lined road. It is now a golf course and the stream at the bottom of the farmers field is still there, filled with baby ducks this April morning. We walked around the perimeter of the golf course and up to the old farmhouse that sat opposite us across an ancient stone wall. Part of this wall fell down one night while we were there and the farmer came out and blamed my brother and I as we used to play atop it. The nettles that I used to fall in and come home full of welts from are still there as is the stone wall and the old barn where the farmer used to kill his pigs and chickens. And, of course, much to my delight, the old walnut tree still stands whose branches used to hang over our trailer and drop their fruit onto the metal roof at night! It was a wonderful visit for me and I was thankful I had my health and memory so that I could still remember so much after so many years.
gws
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| looking out at the site of the old trailer park |
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| the stream at the bottom of the field |
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| the old farmhouse |
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| house in Grigy |
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| road to Metz leading out of Grigy |
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| cherry blossoms, Grigy |
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| standing in a bed of stinging nettles |
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| part of the old wall |
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| the walnut tree |
