Claude Benard

Please accept our deepest sympathy and sadness as you face a very difficult day ahead. Claude was a dear personal friend of ours for 40 years. When we arrived in Pruniers in 1981, Claude was designated by the neighbours to knock on our front door and to introduce himself. He did not know if we were English or American, just that we were les étrangers. His twinkling eyes and invitation to prendre l’aperitif was a warm welcome and one we remember vividly. From that point on Claude and Odile became dear friends of ours. We cooked for each other, shared tables in restaurants together, and they even visited us in Chicago. We all visited the Grand Canyon together, Las Vegas and San Francisco! We shall always remember Claude’s couscous annuelle and smile. Claude will be around you in another form, outside of space and time that we do not understand. A very special man has gone on and we send you all much love as you adjust to the very large space he has left behind. Love Jane and Roger Tracy