Stella Portage

Savigné-l'Évêque is on the Roman Road, in the north-west of France, between Paris and Nantes.

Jean's writing is difficult to read and it doesn't seem to be positive (or perhaps the message is lost on this English-reader). He writes to the Jean Van de Vyvere family at 74 Rue de Rotterdam. The postcard is of another beautiful historic French hotel, the "Grand-Hotel" at place de la Liberté in Toulon.  We initially thought this message was from Jean. Thank you to Timo Van Havere's translation (see the comment below), we see that Lucie wrote the card. She is ill and asking her brother for help. Note that Lucie's message on the front of the card seems dire. This card was posted in 1928. We believe that Lucie survived her illness because she posts another card in 1930 from La Madeleine (Magdalen Church). The "Grand Hotel" seems now to be Government Offices. Toulon is the principal base for the French Navy and the second largest naval port in France. 

The postcard is of the Saint-Etienne Cathedral of Toul at 54200 Place Charles de Gaulle in Toul France. Toul is east of Paris, more than half-way to the German border. It is fascinating for a North American to look at current day Toul, the Cathedral, and "Hotel Du Ville" (City Hall inn English) and see that it does not look much different that the postcard from 95 years ago. The translation, thanks to volunteer Sofie is: "Miss Maria van der Heyde Prinsenhof 8 Bruges La Ramée September 18th, 1924 A double thank you, dear niece, for your letter and cards so well chosen to the taste of the children. You have understood it perfectly. Well achieved for the combined jobs!! When it suits, tell my memories to Maurice and Albèric. V.A." Thanks to Princeton University, the images below are copied from page 20 of the online version of the 1874 publication " Belgium and Holland: Handbook for Travellers " by Karl Baedeker. The postcard

If read correctly, Lucie gives the address for what is now a  Residence Monjardin , at 16 Rue Fénelon, 30000 Nîmes, France.  Addressed to the Jean Van de Vyvers, but not to their 74 Rue de Rotterdam location in Anvers.

A postcard from Luce to the Van de Vyvere at 74 Rue de Rotterdam in Anvers.

The postcard is of the beautiful Amalfi Coast in Italy, but Lucie mailed it from Antwerpen/Anvers/Antwerp to Mademoiselle Van de Vyvere at 114 Boulevard Albert in Gand/Ghent. Google Maps shows a residence at 114 Albert Schweitzerstraat, Ghent, Flanders. Is this the same location as 114 Boulevard Albert? Who is Mademoiselle Van de Vyvere? A very famous Van de Vyvere, Aloys (Alois) Jean Maria Joseph  lived in Gand/Ghent. Is there a relationship between the families? Is Lucie writing to Henriette (Nydia) Merten, who, according to geneanet.org, is Aloys Van de Vyvere's second wife? Lucie begins the postcard with "Soeuretre cheris", "Sister darling. Records show that Lucie's only biological sister is Marie Henriette (1902 - 1930). This postcard was mailed in 1930; was this card to Marie, did Marie live to see the card? Lucie writes about having Ellen board with "our mother". Is Lucie writing to one of her brother's wives? Or to her sist

A quick search for the Giens Peninsula on Google maps shows how gorgeous it is now. This image is taken from Point du Morts. Thank you to Sofie for this translation: Mr. and Mrs. Jean Van de Vyvere 74 Rotterdam Street Antwerp My Dear Jean and Jeanne, Yette will tell you,__?__ which unique opportunity_____?______ rest in Hyeres, without touching my ___?___. I’m feeling still tired, but that will pass. A little relief for this occasion will make me happy. How is Italy? For my address (Yette will update you on the other news) St. Pauls hostel, route___?___ A very affectionate kiss! Luce

A lovely-looking boarding house dining room.  This card is addressed to Jean Van de Vyvere at the a public Ministry on Rue de Louvain. Currently, the Service public  fédéral Intérieur  is at 1 Rue de Louvain, 1000 Bruxelles.( https://www.ibz.be/fr). What was Jean doing at the Ministry? 

According to https://dictionary.cambridge.org/translate/, the front of this card reads "Lovely place, this rock edge covered with flowers and greenery. A masterpiece of nature its harbour is dear has all boatman." The part about the boatman doesn't quite fit. Lucie wrote this card at the end of December in 1931. She mentions Robert in this card. If our research is correct, Robert is Lucie's eldest brother, born in 1893.

La Seyne-sur-Mer (or La Seyne) is a region in the southeast of France, in the Provence-Alpes- Côte  d'Azur region.  Lucie sends a postcard from the Tamaris area to her brother Jean and sister-in-law Jeanne in Antwerp/Anvers.

Assuming Lucie was staying at Hotél Méditerranée in Ste. Tropez, she saw something much different than what she would see today. A Hotél  Méditerran ée exists in 2019, but it seems there was also a  Hotél  Méditerran ée at 21 Boulevard Louis Blanc. It appears to have changed ownership in 2008. 

 This photo of  Abbaye Saint-Mauice in Clervaux  is taken before World War 2. 

It is difficult to read Lucie's handwriting on the postcard she sent to Jeanine. "La Grande Cour", typed on the postcard means "the big yard". The postcard has an image of Mont-Sainte-Odile  in Alsace, France.

According to Historic Hotels of the World , Hotel Ambassador was built in 1927. Based on Lucie's other postcards to Monsieur et Madame Van de Vyere, it is likely that this card was mailed in the early 1930s.   Given this hotel's role in French history, understanding what this card says is very interesting. If you can read and translate this, I would be interested in understanding your translation.

A postcard of Château Fort Musée Pyréneen including the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Lourdes.

In April, 1933, Lucie Van de Vyvere mails a postcard to her parents.

This card is a print from Ernesto Richter, a publisher whose studio was at 170 Via Serpenti in Rome. This image is of the Tumuli degli Orazi e Curiazi, near Via Apia  (a Roman Road). It was posted from Rome/Roma in 1929.

Lucie is now at Rue Krommewal/Krommewalstraat in Tielt at "Villa Ste. Marie". This card was mailed in 1931.

In the upper left corner of this postcard, Marie writes: U.I.O.G.D. an acronym for "Ut in Omnibus Glorificetur Deus". According to St. Peter's Abbey (see Note 1), this translates to "So that in all things may God be glorified". According to Google Maps, 16 Rue Fénelon in Nîmes is now Residence Monjardin, part of an organization that helps young, upwardly-mobile people get housing until they are more economically established (see Note 2). Geneanet tells me that Lucie (born September 26, 1896 in Tielt) and Marie Henriette (born May 26, 1902 in Tielt and died July 16, 1930 in Gent) were born to Joseph Van de Vyvere (born in Tielt; December 6, 1886) and Maria Kamiel Loontjens (1870 - 1912). See Note 3. Lucie and Maria had three brothers: Robert (March 7, 1893 - 19??) Jan (June 24, 1894 - 19??; married Jeanne Guetens) Gerard (June 11, 1895 in Tielt - 19??; married Rachelle Gabrielle Bossuyt) Note 1: from http://stpetersabbey.ca/wp/ut-in-omnibus-g

This card was posted at 4:15 PM on June 2, 1932. Aunt Mit (?), the writer, thanks "Bethamie" for the assistance. I wonder what help was given and I wonder who Bethamie is. It is possible that Luce's aunt is a Loontjens. In 1932, Luce would be 36 years old. *Thank you to KR for the translation. I have not yet seen Trafalgar Square in person, but it looked lovely 90 years ago. Google Maps shows that not much has changed, other than the vehicles and an updated fountain. 

As far as I can tell, these are the cards of the family of Joseph Van de Vyvere (born in 1868 in Tielt) and Maria Kamiel Loontjens (1870 to 1912). On February 20, 2020, Timo added this information: Joseph and Maria were married in 1891. Timo added more: Joseph (born in Tielt, 7 December 1868) was the son of Constantin Vande Vyvere (Tielt, 13 February 1812 - Tielt, 8 February 1875) and Justina Destoop (Aarsele, 10 November 1828 - Tielt, 5 December 1890). Joseph had three sisters, of which two never married (Elisa and Irma). Marie, however, married Henri Loontjens in 1875, the brother of Marie Loontjens. Until 1914, Joseph lived in Tielt as a merchant. First he moved to Roeselare and in 1919 to Dendermonde, where he became a banker. (source: De Roede van Tielt, 1987, p. 86 - online at https://issuu.com/roedevantieltvzw/docs/jg_1987_klein) Children of Joseph Van de Vyvere and Maria Kamiel Loontjens are: sons: - Robert was born in 1893 - Jan was born in 1894 - Gerard was bo

Sister Marie writes to Luce Van de Vyvere (Jean's sister) at 37 Rue d'Ypres in Thielt (Tielt), Belgium.  Sister Marie asks Luce how her grandmother (Elisa Maria VERBURG/LOONTJENS) is and asks if Luce is too tired. There is also something in this card about a magazine subscription for the church needing 15,000 subscribers. Sister Marie writes to Luce: "I'm counting on you". *Thank you to KR for translation. Theodorus Emilius LOONTJENS (Emile) died in 1900)).

When Laurel's grandparents died, a few things they collected were given to her; one was a mystery: a stack of postcards in languages she couldn't read. Many of the postcards are addressed to the Van de Vyvere family of Belgium: to Luce/Lucie, to Maria, and to Jean/Jeanne. Many of the postcards are addressed to the family at 74 Rue de Rotterdam in Anvers (Antwerp). Postcards with dates were posted between 1912 to 1934. Read and watch the story at:  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-mystery-wartime-postcards-1.5458261 Laurel would like to return these postcards to the family to which they rightfully belong. Can you help? Postcards and some information are also on  Instagram .