Weekend with French Friends

This weekend we joined a family gathering of our friends in Saint Dizier (in northeastern France, ca. 200 kilometers from Paris), to celebrate Joseph's 25th birthday, in the large and wonderful old house where he grew up. Still resident  are his parents  Anne and Roger. Also with us were: their daughter Marie-Madeleine and her three children (Grégoire, Clothilde, and Flavian), and another son, André with Emilie and their son Hector. Completing the party was Marie-Jacqueline, an old friend of the parents. 

The Sunday meal commenced with champagne, continued with a terrine of rabbit, a coq au vin, cheesecake, and a super cake from a local bakery (the only thing not homemade).  I should add that the weekend's culinary experience included venison at lunch yesterday and a superb homemade brioche for breakfast today.

I orchestrated the group portrait this afternoon. For the really curious: Back row (l to r): Hector, André, Emilie, Marie-Jacqueline, Marylee, Marie-Madeleine. Seated:  Joseph, Anne, Clothilde, Flavian (twins), Roger. Grégoire is on the floor.

We visit at least annually  with Marie-Madeleine and her family; here's the group portrait from last year's visit, with links to earlier ones.