Stella Portage

Pont du Gard in Nimes is a Roman aqueduct, still open for tours (see  https://www.pontdugard.fr/en ) Luce would by 36 years old in 1932. Is Aunt Mit Marie Anne Marguerite "Mitty" Van de Vyvere  the daughter of Aloys Jean Marie Joseph Van de Vyvere (1871 - 1961) and Henriette Jeanne Franoise Fanny "Nadia" Mertin (1910 - 1995)? If so, what is the relationship between Luce's father Joseph Van de Vyver and Aloys Van de Vyvere? Is this the same Aloys Van de Vyvere who was the President of Belgium in 1925?

This card was sent from Marie Henriette (1902 - 1930) in France, to her sister Luce in Tielt, Belguim. Marie asks about their mother.

Puy de Dôme is a lava dome in central France (just west of Lyon). In 2018, it was established as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This image is from a hill in what is now Royat. Information about the village of Royat is at:  https://www.royat.fr/ The large building at the left of this postcard is now the  Saint Leger's Church of Royat . It is shown in the image below, that was taken on March 16, 2020 from Google Maps:  https://www.google.com/maps/@45.7646464,3.0493268,3a,75y,89.89h,96.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZbmyAITkY5HBquyQj-coXg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 This postcard is very difficult to read.  *Thank you to KR for making this part out: "... Long live God! Good-bye". The initials look like "FK". Is it possible that this is a card from Reverend Father Kockerols?

The website for the Cathedral is here:  https://www.catedraldemallorca.org/ca/ . Below, an image taken from Google Maps on March 15, 2020, shows a the Palma de Mallorca from a different angle ( https://www.google.com/maps/@39.5671359,2.6471573,3a,75y,60.78h,108.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_4NejX-GCVLd_4SONQuxxA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 ). Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the cathedral:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palma_Cathedral . With the water damaged postcard, it is difficult to determine when Robert sent this card to his brother Jean and sister-in-law Jeanne at 74 Rue Rotterdam in Antwerp.

The neoclassical architecture of L'Hôtel Ruhl was a landmark at no. 1 Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France. It was demolished in 1970. The site is now occupied by a casino, Hôtel Mercure Nice Promenade des Anglais, and many other businesses. A YouTube video documenting the hotel, called "Nice D'Antan - L'Hôtel Ruhl avant sa démolition" is posted to:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJvY8cYcAVo . (It is narrated in French.) Wikipedia also has information about L'Hôtel Ruhl: ( https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B4tel_Ruhl ). For today's version of 1 Promenade des Anglais in Nice, see the image below, taken on March 15, 2020 from Google Maps ( https://www.google.com/maps/@43.694924,7.2657491,3a,75y,296.04h,99.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMWTvoTq3PSfYIjbczSDRiw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 ) This postcard has an "Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur" postmark and is from someone with the family name "Van Campenhout". What is the relationshi

Julia sends a postcard from Lille, France, to Jean in Gand, care of his mother(?)-in-law at Place du Marais in Gand. Lille, in northern France and Gand are now just under a 80 km drive. Jean worked for the Belgian government as a manager. Was he in Gand for business or pleasure? This image of this postcard is of the "The Grand Place" (The Main Square) at Place Charles de Gaulle. (See https://en.lilletourism.com/la-grand-place.html  for more information.). What were  coffee shops are still coffee shops, cosmetic giants, book stores, and fast food outlets. Still.... a meeting place. The image above is taken from Google Maps on March 14, 2020:  https://www.google.com/maps/@50.6367972,3.0635688,3a,75y,241.91h,96.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAF1QipMvmQYrdAyY-cu5mDm4Tkqze_Q1HWTdm2itPQC3!2e10!7i10772!8i5386

This postcard was mailed from Interlaken in 1934. Hotel Bellevue des Alpes  remains a family business and remains in operation. You can read more about it and it's history here:  https://www.scheidegg-hotels.ch/ . The information below is an excerpt from the website: "Hotel Bellevue des Alpes is one of the few remaining grand hotels of the 19th century.  At the foot of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, Kleine Scheidegg lies at 2070m in the midst of alpine beauty above Grindelwald and Wengen.  As the center of the skiing and hiking region, this place is also the direct starting point for the Jungfraujoch." Gaston and Julia mailed this postcard from Interlaken, Swizerland (which is a hike/train ride and 28 km of very winding road from the hotel). I wonder if Gaston and Julia were skiers or enjoyed hiking. Regardless, what a journey!