Quiet neighbour

Unlike the rest of the world that see this time of year as halloween and an excuse to mess about, France celebrates La Toussaint (All Saints). It's a serious affair and the time when the graves of passed loved ones are visited and flowers are left.

Off the corner of our new one acre garden is a small graveyard for people of the hamlet. Today, whilst I was planting trees, a steady stream of people came bearing huge pots of chrysanthemums to place on the graves.

I took a photo of the prettiest graves after they had left, but one discreetly adorned grave caught my eye. Not least because it was the largest and plainest of memorials.

Then I noticed the simple inscription. Claude Abbes. 1927 - 2008. Claude was in the squad as goalkeeper for the french team in the 1954 and 1958 football World Cup . He was born in La Caumette and now rests in the very corner of our garden. I feel honoured to have him there.