The European Travel Notes of Edmund Demers: From Boston to Luxembourg, Summer 1956

Edmund Demers, left, as a young professor visiting Yale University, c. 1955.

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Introduction

When the academic year ended at Clarke College, a small Catholic women’s college in Dubuque, Iowa, in the spring of 1956, Edmund Demers, 36 and a professor of art, had his bags packed and car ready for the long drive of almost 1,500 miles back to his home town of Sanford, Maine. But he didn’t stay to visit family and friends for long, only a week, before he took a bus to Boston to catch another bus to Montreal where the passenger liner, the Castel Felice, was waiting to take him to Le Havre, France. This would be Edmund’s first trip to Europe, where he hoped that visiting cultural sites would improve his knowledge of, and ability to teach, art and art history, especially the subjects of painting, sculpture and architecture.

Edmund, possibly with his own car, visiting the Chesapeake Bay 

area of the East Coast of the United States. Winter, c. 1955.

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Throughout the trip, Edmund wrote travel notes like those his grandfather Télesphore Demers kept during his 1908 trip to Québec and his Aunt Odelie Demers during hers in 1898.  Unlike Télesphore and Odelie, however, Edmund took a camera with him and shot photographic slides in color, some of which are included in this post. During the trip he also did some drawings and paintings. One of these works is reproduced in this post.

Like the notes of Télesphore and Odelie, and despite the fact his trip occurred only about 60 years ago, Edmund’s journal describes a world in many ways very different from today’s: travel by passenger ship to Europe rather than by jet; countries still rebuilding from WWII; a relatively small number of American tourists, especially in less populated areas outside of Paris and other major cities; the use of national currencies (the French franc, the German mark, the Italian lira), rather than the euro; and the limited means of communication, mostly by telegram and mail to and from the United States and Europe, and within Europe itself. And in several passages during his stay in southern France, he gives an indication of France's then deep military and political involvement in North Africa, particularly in Algeria.

The notes are almost entirely in English, but several long passages were written in French. (Edmund, who was fluent in French, had studied some German and Italian to prepare for his travels to Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.) I've translated these passages into English and placed the text in italics. Individual words or shorter passages in French have been retained and are immediately followed with English translations in brackets. Words in parentheses, and the parentheses themselves, were in the original text. Other text in brackets are words I've added to improve the reading experience or to give brief explanations. I've tried to keep these additions to a minimum.

This post contains notes Edmund kept from the beginning of his trip until he left France and Luxembourg to visit Germany. The entrees come from two notebooks, which I refer to as the small and large notebooks. Until he arrived in France, all his entrees were in the small notebook, thereafter almost all his notes were written in the large one. For several weeks after he arrived in France, he wrote in both notebooks. The numbers in brackets indicate the page numbers in the two notebooks. His notes at the beginning of the trip are very short, choppy and often in incomplete sentences, but when he arrives in France they are fuller and more descriptive.

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Note:  All material in the post, images and text,
are protected under the copyright laws of the United States.
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From Boston to Montreal, Le Havre, Rouen, 

Laon, Amiens, Reims, Strasbourg and Luxembourg

June 11 to July 4, 1956

[Notes from the small journal]

Monday, June 11

[The] bus from Boston leaves for Montreal at 11:15 [PM] (12:15 EST). [I] saw in Cinerama, [note: a new type of film projection], [The] Last Act of [the] Saint of Bleeker Street [at the] Art Festival.

Tuesday, June 12

[I] arrived [in] Montreal about noon. [There were] three chaps aboard [the] bus from Luther College, Decorah, [Iowa,] taking a grand tour of a dozen countries; nice boys, one [is a] music major.

[We] all took [a] cab. The cabbie [was] a neo-Canadian named Goldman. [He] spoke fine Parisian French [and] got us to Pier 45. [It was] quite far and [we] could only deposit [the] baggage. After soupe aux legumes at the Longshoreman’s shack, [I] went into town [by] trolley [and] bought slippers, [a] magazine, [and a] couple of phrase books, Italian and German. Downtown Montreal is improving. 

____

The passenger liner Castel Felice docked in Le Havre, France. 

It appears that the liner in the background is the Ile de France. 

Early September, 1956.

(Photo by Edmund Demers)

Edmund boarded the ship at Pier 45 in the Port of Montreal for the Atlantic crossing to Le Havre, France, in June 1956. The passage took ten days. He will return on the same vessel, but will disembark in New York City, rather than Montreal. For more information and photos of the ship, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Felice. 

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[There is] much milling about [and] socializing. They served sandwiches, coffee, [and] pineapple juice. We got underway at 4 AM [and] passed through Three Rivers [at] mid-morning. [The] crew [is] Italian and German, [which is] good for [language] practice. 

[1]

[I] boarded [the] ship [at] 8 P.M. [The] formality of checking [the] passport and ticket [is] very brief, indeed. [The] baggage [was] already aboard in [the] cabin[.] [There are six] to a cabin with wash basin [and] porthole. [The cabin is] amidships [on] B deck, all in all [a] very desirable location and vastly superior to [the] G.I. setup [for transporting soldiers, like Edmund had experienced to and from India during the war]. [I] checked [the] camera and money with [the] purser. [I] had bought francs in Montreal, but no really small denominations, such as I wanted. 

[2]

Letters [and] telegrams awaited me: W. Funk, M. L. Barry, S. Thomas, Sister J. Therese, C. Gordan, Rossi, Nancy, Craighead, [and] Dieter. 

Wednesday, June 13

[I got a] sunburn. [Today, there was] much confusion, traveling about, [and] good meals. 

Thursday, June 14

[We are] out of sight of land. [I attended] mass and [took] communion at seven. [It is] very cold [and] windy. [I stayed] in doors [to] read [and] talk. All my papers and supplies [are] in order. [I] met various convivial teachers [and] students. Three dinner table companions [were] not too good. [A] movie [is] being shown. 

Wednesday June 20

[It has been a] very calm crossing, light fog most of the time [and] little sun. Although I did not see them, 

[3]

many good movies were shown: Julius Caesar, From Here to Eternity, The Detective, [and] Mr. Roberts, but also a couple of lemons: Battle Cry, [and] The Sigmund Phomerg Story.

Lectures were organized on ship: language classes, orientation, etc. Most of them I found not too informative, but I did hear a very good talk on French politics by a professor from [the] University of Colorado.

Last night was the ship’s farewell party. [It was] a gala affair, [with] wine served at the table, various birthdays celebrated by candle-lit cakes being ushered in, and with musicians and dimmed lights. There was a lot of singing. 

[4]

This was followed by a grand dance. The ballroom [was] festooned with paper flowers, [it was] very Italian [with] cardboard grapes over the bar. [I] met a few interesting girls, but retired very early. 

Today we are in sight of the English coast [and will] probably dock at Southampton this evening. 

Thursday, June 21

[We are] due at Le Havre within the hour [and will] debark in the morning. [We were] very fortunate today to have had two hours on shore to visit English soil. Southampton is a fine English town, very tidy, complete with Norman ruins [and] beautiful old houses, Tudor and Renaissance. I took a few [camera] shots. The weather was cloudy,

[5]

so I held back in order to be able to take pictures more carefully shot on the continent. England seems very charming, and its people very polite and friendly. Much German is being spoken on ship, also some French. [We had a] very good supper tonight, soup (minestrone), fish, boiled chicken and rice, apple strudel and cheese. The Caine Mutiny will be shown. [I] got a shot of the Queen Elizabeth as she pulled out of Le Havre. [It was] too long to fit in my lens opening!

[6]

[Notes from the large journal]

[Friday, June 22]

On the train for Rouen after many miles of sightseeing in Le Havre. It was obvious enough that a tremendous amount of new building was finished and underway as we came into the port at dusk last night. But the full impact of this tremendous restoration was most exciting when seen at close hand. 

After a perfunctory and tedious wait in line, we finally got off the ship [with] no trouble at all with Customs. I hoofed it to the gare centrale [the main train station] to get transport to Rouen. No train till 15:45 [3:45 PM], it of course being only nine then. Posters announcing a big to do in Rouen about Jeanne d’Arc and the reopening of the Cathedral, etc., made me decide to go there first rather than to Amiens.

I went back to a tourist bureau I had passed after checking my bags at the depot. (As I write in the train now, I am torn between watching the scenery and writing these impressions while they [are] still fresh.) This is a fast “Autorail” like the Portsmouth-Boston Budd car [note: a self-propelled train car].

[1]

Fare is 545 [francs], roughly $1.75.

Getting back to the subject, I inquired about new churches and was told about the new St Joseph’s. Perret [Auguste Perret, see https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89glise_Saint-Joseph_du_Havre] is one of the co-architects. It’s spire is the highest tower in town, being nearly matched by the city hall. The whole downtown area was pulverized in the pre-invasion landings. [Note: He means the pre-invasion bombings.] This entire area is going up in ultra modern stores, apartments, etc.

It will indeed be extremely beautiful. A lot of prefabricated units are used in the construction such as door and window frames, cement blocks, etc. It was all I could do to keep from shooting all my film here; as it is, I shot plenty.

[Saturday, June 23]

Morning. Un café et croissant for breakfast. [I] read my newspaper, Paris Normandie, with [a] description of [the] Grand Cortege de 1600 heures et le spectacle de ce soir [the Grand Procession at 4:00 in the afternoon and the show this evening]. The weather is rather cloudy [with] occasional mist and drizzle. [I] hope it will clear.

The nights are very cool, much like Québec. People drop in and out of the café. In expressions like pas, rien que, veux-tu, the pronunciation is exactly like Canadian French. Otherwise, the speech is far different, being articulated more forcefully and [with] the throaty R.

[2]

Apparently, I shall have difficulty in recording everything as I go along . . . . 

The countryside leaving Le Havre is not very exciting, more trees and wooded landscapes than I had imagined. Things improved as we hit the valley of the Seine. Little towns, industrial, in the valleys. Quite [a] dramatic entrance into Rouen, which is quite terrific. I checked my pack at the station and headed for the Syndicate d’Initiative (Chamber of Commerce). They sent me to the Hotel de la Rochefoucauld. 550 [francs] per night, about $1.75. Some hotels serve breakfast in bed, [with] slightly higher fee of course. The atmosphere here is very much that of my old lodging at 44 [Rue] Ste-Geneviève [in Quebec City, where Edmund lived in 1951-52]. 

There is an aspect of French taste which runs through French Canada linking it with this [country]. The same love of bright parqueted wood, highly varnished; [the colors] buff, yellow, ocre, sienna, raw umber; tile floors; [the] love of crystal, mirrors, chrome, silver, velour, silk, [and] everything that is shiny and elegant.

I was surprised at the tempo, not leisurely at all. Everyone is moving about quickly, purposefully. Of course, there are always people at the cafés. The street speed is like that of Québec. The café is a very busy place. This is quite a neighborhood center and stop-in for newspaper and coffee or wine or aperitif. 

[3]

Street Scene in Rouen, June 1956.

(Photo by Edmund Demers)

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[Note: The following paragraph is the first written in the notebooks by Edmund in French. Throughout the "large" journal Edmund now will occasionally write in French. These paragraphs are indicated in italic type-face in the English translation.]

Charming visit to the tower of Jeanne d’Arc. The guard, a very lively and intelligent army veteran, told us of the legend of the heart of Jeanne which was thrown into the Seine and floated all the way to Canada causing French-Canada to spring forth. He also spoke of the Gestapo and the French patriots as something parallel to trial and torment of Jeanne d’Arc in this same tower. (An apple, 45 francs.)

[3]

[The following entries are from the small notebook.] 

[Saturday, June] 23, Rouen

[There are] big doings at this town on Jeanne d’Arc’s anniversary, 500 years. [Note: The anniversary of her retrial and acquittal for heresy in 1456.] [It is] a beautiful city! [I’m staying at the] Hotel de la Rochefoucauld at 550 francs [per night], [a] complete dinner is available

[6]

at same [price]. [I]  will stay here over [the] weekend.


[There is the] usual procession [at the parade], [with] wigs, etc. [I] tried to take pictures, but [I was at a] bad spot, and [the] sun is in and out.

[7]

[The following entries are from the large notebook.]

Sunday, June 24

I finished mass at Saint-Romain’s, a low mass, a beautiful church, old, a little neglected. We are awaiting the arrival of the President of the Republique, Réné Côté. The Republican Guard is mounted on horses in splendid uniforms and helmets.

Yesterday, Saturday the 23rd, the large procession for Jeanne d’Arc permitted me to observe the French people, or at least those of Normandy. One notices people of all sizes, of all complexions, but those with blond air, blue eyes and red cheeks [are often seen] . . . The Rivard family [note: the family of Edmund's sister and brother-in-law, Claire and Paul Rivard] has its double here. 

The Demers and Rivard Families, 
at the Rivard home in York, Maine, c. summer 1954.

From left to right: Odias "Pete" Demers (Edmund's father), nephew Paul Rivard, grandmother Rose Ida Dionne, brother-in-law Paul Rivard, Sr., nephew Donald Rivard, sister Claire Demers Rivard, and Edmund. His mother, Éva Dionne Demers probably took the photo.

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People dress in a variety of styles, but bold colors are rare. Felt hats are very rare with men. There are more berets, but almost everyone is bare-headed. 

Beards of all types are rather common, and not exclusively for artists or bohemians. There are Negroes, very black, Annamites [i.e., Vietnamese] and people of mixed blood here and there in the crowd. 

[4]

I thought that some picturesque people were Gypsies, but they were Algerians, who are spreading a little here and there in France. It was necessary to wait at least an hour and a half for the arrival of the procession. The patience and good sense of the crowd made a very favorable impression on me. The young children are very well raised, no crying, no running around here and there. One notices that the French diet must be healthy, obesity is very rare, everyone seems in good health. 

The very black coffee I took this morning was delicious. For breakfast, there were only croissants, a sort of mille feuilles pastry.

Getting back to the procession. I situated myself before the cathedral. Unfortunately, the cortege didn’t take the route where I was waiting. In addition, the sun shone one moment, then hid behind dark clouds immediately after, and I was too close. All this means that the photos taken will not be great. 

When a knight in a splendid, all black costume approached, someone said, “His mother-in-law died, he is grieving.” Another, in a costume from the middle ages looked at a movie camera and cried out, “It’s a machine gun!”

[5]

The appearance of bishops and monks with their wigs and looks not very ecclesiastical amused the crowd.   

The music was beautiful, but I was truly too far [away] to fully appreciate it, but the fireworks, that was a veritable masterpiece. The variety and disposition of the fireworks had a subtlety and finesse that I have never seen before. And the spectators watched it as though contemplating a work of art rather than as entertainment as an American crowd would have done. 

The President of the Republic [René Côté] arrived, in the parade with functionaries and accompanied by the Republican Guard. There is applause from the crowd. The weather is cloudy, it’s called “crachins Bretons,” the drizzle of Brittany.

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Views of the Grand Procession

Des vues de la Grande Procession

Scenes near the cathedral of the "Grand Cortege" 

celebrating the 500th Anniversary of Joan of Arc's and the reopening of the Cathedral.
See a video clip of the event at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRn6b3nnaxw

(Photo by Edmund Demers).

See a video clip of the event at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRn6b3nnaxw

 _________

[6]

Monday, June 25

I’m in 2d class heading for Amiens. The Norman countryside is very green, a little monotonous. The hedgerows which surround each field don’t permit you to see very far on this beautiful, rather flat, land. You see ancient houses, like those on Île d’Orleans [in Québec], with thatched roofs. [Note: he draws a sketch of a house here]. At the other end of the train car, there is a group of young soldiers. After dinner with bread, ham and wine, music was played and foolish songs were sung. Rather often, you heard “moué” for “moi” [me], and “paw” pour “pas.” [Note: These are the ways those words are pronounced in Québec.] The seats were very comfortable, but the side windows were fixed. You had to suffer from the summer heat. 

Sketch of a thatched-roof house in Normandy like those on the Isle d'Orleans in Québec.
From Edmund's large journal.

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It is June 25 but a Frenchman entered wearing a type of vest and a heavy coat with a fur color. Men are wearing pullovers and sweater vests and have a horror of drafts. It is certainly a race of people sensitive to the cold.

Tuesday, 26 June

[I got up early to catch beautiful views with the camera,

[7]

but the cloudy temperature prevented that. I paid my hotel bill, 2000 F, including the tip for the maid. They say that Amiens is less beautiful than Rouen, and I can believe it! I went to high mass at the cathedral this morning. I saw the string of Cardinals, Bishops, and Monsignors, [an] impressive sight. I missed the facade of St Ouen and the cathedral. The sun was not favorable. I could always go back.]

There are small flowers in the fields and cows. Small sheaves and vegetables are starting to appear. The fruit is horribly expensive, a banana 60 F, [a] pear 85. [A] ham sandwich 75.]

[8]

[Notes from the small journal]

Tuesday, 26 June 

Laon [is a] picturesque old hilltop town. They say there is an American airbase nearby. [I’m staying at a] nice little hotel and will stay for a day or two. [I] got shirts washed and [will] probably do sketching if I can buy proper materials. [The cost of the] hotel here [is] 600 [francs], 600 [for the] meal, and service (this should run to a couple of hundred), making [it] 1400 francs a day, roughly $4.00. [There is a ] beautiful climate here, always cool indoors [and] beautiful sunshine. 

[Notes from the large journal]

Six o’clock in the evening. I'm leaving for Laon. The cathedral of Amiens is truly magnificent! I took some nice pictures from the outside, and I tried several inside, which is large. There is only a group of stained glass windows in an apse chapel which is rich in color. (It is modern.) This is enough to indicate to us what the cathedral could be, there are also details, 

[8]

statues, etc., from the Renaissance, Baroque or Rococo, particularly the high altar that endured being removed, as are now other objects that once filled the cathedral.]

It has lost the old houses that had surrounded it and which gives Rouen a more authentic appearance. But there is more space for a larger perspective. The facade is wonderful! The interior is very well lit.

Amiens, on the other hand, is very uninteresting. New buildings by Perret, which includes a tower of Amiens that is totally lacking in inspiration. The islets (as the "apartment houses" are called) are commonplace and purely traditional. They are in the process of building a new station. Only small groups of workers are employed and construction is proceeding very slowly. Large sections of the city [and the] brick houses [have a] 19th century, dark, industrial aspect.

[I have no idea what kind of hotel awaits me in Laon, or what kind [of] town it is. I think [it is] smaller than the ones I have visited.

[9]

We pass a marshy countryside where the people of Picardy grow vegetables à la Xochimilco [like the city of Mexico]; small canals [and] canoes are seen.]

Due to poor connections at Tergnier, I had to stop overnight at [the] Hotel des Nations. This is an ugly, dull, industrial town, cleaner but far more dismal than ours. [Note: Edmund is likely referring to his hometown, Sanford, Maine, or to mill towns generally in New England.]. [A] peculiar hotel, but delicious meal. Soup, steak and macaroni, salad, cheese, pudding and wine plus room [for] 962 F[rancs], well under $3. Laon is about [a] ½ hour away, but [I] wouldn’t get there till midnight or so. A small French town is unbelievably quiet in the evening. Except for a few fellows in the cafes, there is no one about. The streets are deserted except for an occasional motorcycle. 

[I] had my first brush with French officialdom. [The] conductor looked at my ticket after I got [on] again for Laon. « Il est périmé ! » [“It is expired!”] he said. It seems that I should have gotten it stamped at the station. The fact that a foreigner is not likely to know this cut no ice with him.

[10]

[I] had to pay another 180 F[rancs].


The Cathedral, situated here on a ridge, is quite impressive. The interior is very simple and beautiful. I dropped 2  [Note: word obscured, perhaps "guineas," which may have been slang at the time for coins] [for] a card showing it. 

[11]

[Notes from the small journal]

Wednesday, 27 June

Quiet day drawing. I took a few photos of the old church of St. Martin.

Tonight, [I had] potage, good pork chops and string beans, [and] cheese. [It was] not exceptional for 600 francs; wine is extra, too.

[There are] nice bookstores, at least two in this town of 20,000. I wish I could buy freely, but prices seem quite high. I’ll see what can be had in Austria and Italy. 

[7]

[Notes from the large journal]



Wednesday [June 27]

[I] had a tired foot today, so [I] decided not to travel too far and sketch. [I] bought some art supplies and a Guide Bleu last night. (The Guide Bleu is a motor tourist’s guide with a great deal of information about hotels [and] restaurants, as well as historical and artistique data.)

The paints are gouache and I did a little sketch, but still not quite in the way the medium should be used. I tend to use it too much like watercolor. The brushes, paper and paints are all inexpensive; clothing seems to be about the same, food [is] possibly a little higher.  But this is probably only natural  in view of the elaborate system of marketing, choosing and preparing (and serving) food. One of the maids is washing some clothes for me. There seemed to be several English speaking tourists in the hotel over the weekend. 

As I was doing a sketch this A.M., a man came up

[11]

and talked to me. He is an engineer [and] amateur painter. The judgement and taste of amateur painters seems much the same the world over. Non-objective art is for the birds as far as he is concerned. After a sandwich and wine, I did a few pen sketches in the P.M. Unfortunately, the fountain pen doesn’t take India ink too well.  [I] plan to spend at least another day here and go to Reims, then Germany.

Wall of Laon, France (June 1956). 

Ink on sketchpad; 8" x 11.5."

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The view today.

(Photo courtesy of Pierre Poschadel)
(Licensed under the Creative Commons:
CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0))

________

[I] just ruined a few good shots of something or other by removing [the] back of [the] camera prematurely. [I] think I have it now so as not to make further errors.

I just came back from the barber, [who was] a very diligent worker. 192 francs for [a] simple haircut (without razor with lather); with hair lotion, 260 francs, etc. etc. Two Italians who came to the country for the beet harvest entered to buy razor blades and a comb.]

Currently, I am drinking a big black coffee at the railroad station buffet. I leave at 11:00 [note: probably in the evening] for Reims. I paid for my hotel this morning; bill of 4825 F. I left a tip of 375 francs.

The hotel La Bannière de France in Laon is listed in all the major tourism and auto-tourism clubs in Europe. Each evening, therefore, there was a new group of customers following a tourist route. They leave early in the morning. The tourists including, Americans, English, Dutch, and French, stop here.

Last night, I had dinner at 900 francs. I assure you that there is a difference! After truite meunière [trout], there were fried potatoes and chicken. Delicious, maybe because it was cooked in butter.

[12]

I sat in the cafe yesterday at noon for my ham sandwich and a carafe of white wine. All business stops from noon to two o'clock. The cafes are filling up and it's a very interesting hour. Two young girls were at the next table. Their conversation and deportment was most interesting. Soon a group of Dutch tourists arrived by bus (coach). They are more lively and more natural, perhaps, than the French.

Then a young priest arrived in charge of a group

[13] 

of little schoolchildren on the bus. There was a burst of great excitement, but we were able to find room for all the little ones. This period of the day is certainly one of the greatest successes of French civilization. No doubt this custom [of the midday break] and many others do not fit well with the demands of modern industries and technologies.

When I painted (in gouache) the small chapel of the Templars (12th century), an army captain approached. “One of the most beautiful corners of Laon,” he said. He continued a bit, noting that this scene had been painted by others before. About an hour later, he appeared with a newspaper from March showing a photograph of an Italian artist painting this scene.

I entered an unremarkable church (built 1900), but there were large stained glass windows behind the altar, lots of red. The subject: Christ is Risen.

[14]

[Notes from the small journal]
Thursday [27 June]



[I’ve been] sightseeing and sketching [and] bought a turtleneck sweater for 1650 F, about $4.50. My sketches were better today. I loosened up a little.

Friday, June 28? [Sic. Edmund appears to be loosing track of the dates, but it was, in fact, June 28,

[It] stormed in Rheims, [a] rather dull city looking for all the world like Back Bay Boston complete with Commonwealth Avenue. The cathedral is magnificent,

[8]

but the interior seems a little dry, more stained glass might do it, perhaps. [It is a] much more impressive interior [than that] of old St Rémi, [with a] Romanesque [style that is] simple and powerful [and with an] interesting candelabra over the altar. [Note: Edmund draws a rough sketch here and notes its dimension as 20 feet.]

I also photographed the old Roman triumphal arch. They are presently excavating the old forum uncovered by the war. [I will] probably travel on the train tonight to Strasbourg or some other town near [the] German border. [It is] still cool, [I] wouldn’t [want] to be without a jacket.

[I] ate at a typical railroad restaurant [and had a] good, filling omelette with wine for $1.98 plus tip, always 

[9]

the cost of living is high. [It is] very hard to get a meal for less than $2, but the country appears to be prosperous, and dogs and children are well-behaved.

[10]

[Notes from the large journal]

[Friday June 28]

[I] arrived in Reims and immediately set about sightseeing. The weather was a little in and out for photographing, but I got in a few good shots. The city seems to hold little of further interest. I took the train for Strasbourg, where I [am] writing this at 8:30 AM. [I] had to wait 3 hours for a connection at Épernay. The train was very crowded, but it was quite interesting watching the soldiers and other passengers. 

There is no longer any third class in France, which makes it less picturesque and more comfortable. Dawn comes early. The scenery from Nancy to Strasbourg is beautiful, mountainous country like Vermont or New Hampshire; towns feature little tourist hotels [that] have an Alpine style. The canal which links the Rhine to the Rhone follows the railroad quite closely, little barges can be seen navigating the frequent locks. So far Strasbourg looks like a very bustling, prosperous city. German seems to be spoken more than French. Children are on their way to school with their little leather shoulder packs. 

[15]

I saved a hotel night by traveling [through the night], so will probably get something a little better today and rest a bit and get out the German book again. [I] have just exhausted my first Canadian-bought francs [and] will cash my first traveler’s check today.

European cities of the industrial era, buildings of 1870-1940, are just as bad as American cities, no space, pollution of city air, drabness, pretentious decor; perhaps they are a little freer with a little monument here and there, or a fountain or park.

The suburban areas are filled with the same monotonous, badly designed row houses of Baltimore and Chicago. This is such a contrast to the old towns where buildings grow more slowly with much greater thought to human factors.

After mass this morning, [I] went sightseeing, slowly. The museum [is] filled with articles of Strasbourg's military and political history; it was damaged in three wars. Weather [is] not good for photography; it’s really a problem. There is so much to record; one has to exercise a great deal of restraint.

[16]

The Alsatians are much more direct and extroverted than the French. They love to eat and drink, but [they] make it a little more informal and, frankly, enjoyable. This is a terrific tourist town, big, shiny sightseeing busses from Germany, Holland, and Belgium. This morning, the fleets of Vespa clubs began arriving, especially from Germany and other Alsatian cities. Sometimes all are in costume like our motorcycle clubs. These are composed of people of all ages, however. Yesterday was extremely sunny and bright, but I could wear my “oreiller” with comfort.  [Note: It is not clear what Edmund intends to mean here. Oreiller means cushion or pillow in French; it seems likely he was referring to a piece of clothing.] Today it seems to be more muggy. 

Currently, [I'm] in [a] restaurant, 185 to 450F,. [There is a] gruff waitress of [a] type unknown ([waiters are] always men, in France proper anyway). Everybody is bilingual. 

Somebody said hello to me yesterday - ? [sic]

[17]

[Notes from the small journal]

Monday, July 1(?) [Sic, it was actually July 2]

[I’m] on the train to Luxembourg. It has been raining all day, so I just did a little sightseeing and hooving around the cafés till train time at 15:46. This is supposed to be an express which will get me to Luxembourg this evening. That will be nearer some of the interesting German cities I want to visit.

[Tuesday, July 3]

[Luxembourg is] a marvelous, picturesque city. It is surrounded by a deep gorge and has picturesque 

[10]

bridges leading into it. [I] ran into some people from the ship. It seems all the tourist tours hit this spot and G.I.s are stationed here. [It] results in prices higher than anywhere yet. [I] probably will go to Koblenz or Bonn today after getting a few photos of the town.

This is the 4th of July, I’m told! [I] bought a ticket for Köln [Cologne], this will enable me to see Bonn and Düsseldorf, which is not the most practical thing I have done (that is going to Strasbourg first), but I want to see if the tremendous abundance of beautifully designed merchandise and new buildings plus the apparent prosperity of the Germans exists only [in] this somewhat touristy spot.

[11]

To be continued . . . . 

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Acknowledgements

I wish to thank Peggy Trout, a daughter of Edmund, for her continuing support and for her encouragement throughout my work with Edmund on the blog during the last three years of his life.

My friends in Québec, Jeanne d'Arc Leblanc and Cécile Leblanc, whose grandmother and my great-grandfather were sister and brother, and Suzanne Demers, the Vice-President of the Association des Familles Demers, have kindly given hours of their time to help me improve the French text. Merci bien à toutes!

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