When we were in Orbec, we stayed at the Manoir de l’Engagiste, a wonderful property that Aude’s mother recommended. It’s recently been transformed into a guesthouse by a lovely couple who we assume were Parisians escaping from the city. The property itself is in two halves – one dating from the fifteenth century and the other dating from the seventeenth century.

Manoir de l’Engagiste

Manoir de l’Engagiste

Guest room at the Manoir de l’Engagiste

Guest room at the Manoir de l’Engagiste

Guest room at the Manoir de l’Engagiste

The proprietor came to greet us in the morning. Detecting my accent, he told us a wonderful story about some previous American guests:

Some years ago, there was an important society wedding in Orbec. Guests from around the world had been invited, including a family from Houston. The Texan had called ahead to the Manoir and reserved rooms for himself, his wife and his two daughters. Several weeks later, they arrived in France and got in a cab, asking to be taken to the Manoir in Orbec.

There was a problem, of course. The taxi driver wasn’t familiar with Orbec and dropped them off at the only Manoir he knew – which happened to be the City Museum! You can imagine the surprise of the custodian when he was presented with four travel-weary Texans on one of the hottest days of the summer, laden with luggage in the way that only Americans can manage, demanding his room.

When it finally transpired what had happened, the Texans were pointed towards the right Manoir. There were no taxis to be found, so the family had no choice but to make the trek up the hill to the right Manoir. Dripping with sweat in the hot summer sun, they were greeted by our host and offered their rooms. Not speaking much English, he said to them “J’ai un ami avec une piscine” and made the universal “swimming” gesture.

The things that get lost in translation…

Ten minutes later, the entire family appeared in the lobby dressed in their bathing suits, sunglasses and towels underarm, ready for their swim. They’d misunderstood – the proprietor meant that he had a friend across town who had a pool where they could cool off – but the Texans assumed that the pool was at the Manoir itself.

When life gives you lemons… The proprietor decided to make the best of a bad situation. He got out the hose and spent twenty minutes hosing down the Texans in the courtyard!