Extraordinary visitors

I've just waved goodbye to an elderly ( aged 81) Frenchman and his lovely wife. They stayed here at Maureville for 2 days and ate 'table d'hote' each evening at the kitchen table with us. Madame spoke superb English, whilst Monsieur wasn't bad. They preferred me to speak French though, so it was quite a challenge, but not impossible as they helped out when I got stuck.
So, why were they extraordinary?
Monsieur de Fleury was a descendant of the de Fleury family who were 'seigneurs' of Maureville and Beauregard for centuries...selling the estate & moving to a chateau in the Charente in approximately 1850.
He has done extensive research into the family history and, indeed spent most of his 2 days 'chez nous' in the Mairie in Asnois, searching through records. There he was quite successful, although he could find no de Fleury headstones in the cemetry.
The de Fleury's kept hold of the chateau at Beauregard during the Revolution due to a fearless lady. I would guess she was the 'Chatelaine'. Her 2 sons fled to Germany along with many other young rich men of the time, where they joined an army to fight back against the rebels. When rebels from Civray arrived at the chateau, she said she was a woman alone & persuaded them to leave her alone. 10 years later her sons returned & took over the place.
I believe the last family member living in Beauregard was the great-grandfather of my guest...Dr. Maurice de Fleury. He was the local 'medecin' and travelled around the countryside in an old horse & cart. We were told the story of Dr Maurice's courtship with a young lady that was rudely interrupted, and also ruined by his horse,bored with waiting outside, barging into the lady's cottage & wrecking the windows!
M. de Fleury also told us a bit about Maureville. We'd always assumed that some of the stonework around the doors and windows, and the enormous stone fireplace were the result of receiving stolen goods during the sacking of the nearby Abbaye at Charroux. They are quite outrageously ostentatious for an ordinary farmhouse. ..............But, said Monsieur, it wasn't an ordinary farmhouse...it was much grander than that, it was part of the 'Seigneurie'....?? ( Not too sure what that involves!-- a manager, or Dowager's house perhaps?!)
The last little anecdote that we were told was of M. 's childhood. He was brought up in a chateau in the Charente. He called his mother 'La comtesse'... obviously an upper class family. The upper classes throughout Europe were more happy with each others company, than associating with the lower classes. One afternoon in 1940 a high-ranking German officer, whose troups had encamped in the nearby village, arrived at the chateau to be greeted by 10 year old Philippe (our Monsieur). 'I'd like to speak with your father' he said to Philippe. 'No, it's impossible,' he was told. 'Isn't he here?' said the Officer. 'Yes, but he is taking his siesta and I dare not wake him' said Philippe.
The Officer departed saying he'd come back at a more convenient time. Such was the power of the upper classes, at least early on in the war!
M.et Mme de Fleury were fascinating guests. Of course, now that they've gone I've a dozen queries for them. They've promised to stay again and I hope his research will carry on...I must make a list before the next visit!

Ps. As well as his ancestral interests, until retirement at 75 M. was a serious yachtsman. Six years ago he was crossing the Atlantic with a crew of 6, when the rudder fell off the boat. SOS calls went out (I believe it was a bit of a storm) and a British 'Tall Ship'-- umpteen metres of 'voile' (sails), manned by a disabled crew of youngsters, came to their rescue.
It was impossible to save their yacht and so it had to be scuttled. The French crew then spent a week aboard the British ship.
M. de Fleury said, whilst recounting this story, 'it was then I understood how the British won the war. The discipline and tenaciousness of the disabled crew was phenominal. A French crew wouldn't be the same at all.'
Interesting little anecdote!