The hundred years of Paulin: "A force of nature".<

Social,Castelnaudary Published on, updated

Anniversary. He celebrated it at home, in Les Crozes, at the Domaine du Pigné.

At the end of April, the Arquier family is reunited, as is often the case, to celebrate Paulin's birthday. A small party almost like any other, simple and friendly, but a little special all the same because it is the centenary of the patriarch of the family who is in the spotlight. We also take advantage of the same opportunity to celebrate the 4 years of his great-grandson Gabin, born the same day as him, April 21. Gabin is the son of Anaïs (his granddaughter) and Mathieu Montech, a well-known physiotherapist in Saint-Martin Lalande. 96 years separate Paulin from Gabin and the family joy is very present when the grandfather blows out his candle representing his 100 years of life. In jest, his granddaughter throws out to him: "We could almost put you on the newspaper", and he replies in Occitan: "It would only be missing". It was enough to quickly contact a correspondent of our title, and make a little official a well-deserved tribute to Paulin.

Good foot, good eye

It was at Le Pigné in the town of Castelnaudary very close to Les Crozes that we met Paulin, a man of character who does not seek honors and "great ointment". It was therefore necessary to meet him quite naturally, in all simplicity to share together a moment of history with him. Upon arrival at the estate, everyone is in the fields, the white onion harvest is in full swing. A work of the land that we will often find in the words of the grandpa that we meet with Anaïs his granddaughter and Bernard his son. He is waiting for us with a good eye, and even seated we discover in him "the force of nature".

A simple character, endearing, in love with life and above all full of humor. "I didn't want to see a man in a tie and a suit arrive," he told us as soon as we arrived. And now we are engaging in a beautiful dialogue about his life, with lots of anecdotes that will have to be summarized because there are too many of them, but that we will be able to review, because we have now agreed to meet every year.

5. I Love You 🇨🇳 (trans.) 我愛你 / (simp.) 我爱你 (Pinyin: Wǒ ài nǐ) 我 = Wǒ 愛 / 爱 = ài 你 = nǐ Meaning: “I love you!”… https ://t.co/6AKM2ZT0lE

— Faith⁷∠. #lawan 🏴 Fri Dec 18 09:21:54 +0000 2020

At work from 14 years old

2 great periods of his life for Paulin: his youth at Mas Saintes Puelles and from his marriage to Paule in 1946, his professional life as a farmer in Le Pigné. He started working at age 14. During his youth he was spared the war of 40, but knew the youth camps then during the Occupation was requisitioned by the Germans as a muleteer. With the fear of the bombings he returns home, or the war is over, he will do his military service and then find several jobs, especially in agriculture. He also helps his parents who will choose to settle in Pigné as agricultural workers in 1945. The following year, he marries Paule who will give him 2 boys Jean and Bernard.

Totally autonomous

Laborious work on the land, very manual at the time, but for which Paulin invested himself and knew how to adapt to modernization. He will lose his wife at the age of 50, a painful ordeal but which gives him strength to preserve his family. In addition to his job, Paulin practiced hunting and especially fishing with his friends in Matemale in particular, where one day the car which took them saw its gas tank pierced by the weight and the bumps. In retirement and to this day, Paulin remains an asset – garden, lawn mowing… – and above all he takes care of his handicapped son Jean. He is totally independent, cooks and cleans under the watchful eye of Fatima, his 4th granddaughter (by marriage).

See you next year

We will leave it there for this year, but it is a great gentleman that we have discovered as well as a very beautiful united and welcoming family. Thank you, Bernard and Jean his 2 sons, Nicolas, Mathieu and Anaïs his 3 grandchildren and finally Lohane, Clément, Théo, Léa, Gabin and the very last Juliette his 6 great grandchildren. Thank you to the whole family for allowing us to meet your dad, grandpa and grandpa (see you next year). Paulin, you can be proud to have 4 generations on your Pigné estate.

I already have an account

I do not have an account

Would you like to receive a notification when a user replies to your comment?