Since we came to Le Presbytere for the first time our one constant on Rue Lentheric has been Monsieur Gramage who lives just three doors down the street from us.
It is very sad to see the condolance book outside the door this morning which tells us that he died last night. He was, his daughter tells us, 92 since October.
He was the most wonderful gentle man and to us he was Thezan, always a greeting, a handshake and a smile.
On hot days in summer he would sit on his little stone bench at the top of Rue del Catet- “to catch any breeze” he told me.
The last time I talked to him he was walking up from the Super U with his groceries, I stopped and asked would he like a lift “No” he grimaced” they have said I have to walk”
I love that when Olivier Costa painted the Trompe l’Oeil in Del Catet they showed M. Gramage puffing up the stairs in the background.
It is certainly no coincidence that just this morning I have discovered that his christian name was “Angel”
We will miss him.