"In 1990, though, persuaded by his then-girlfriend, he decided to give France another chance and became smitten - not with Paris but the countryside of Brittany - France's northwestern region just across the English Channel from Great Britain that in ancient times was settled by mostly Celtic people and for whom Brittany is named. Greenside says that he was struck upon arriving by all the Celtic flags and how welcoming everyone was, unlike Parisians."
"After breaking up with his girlfriend, Greenside says he decided to put down roots in Brittany. So in short order, he became the owner of a charming two-story, stone-walled, French country home in "Plobien," Greenside's fictitious name that he came up with for the undisclosed village where his summer home is - "plo" in Breton means "village," and "bien" in French means "good," so together the name means "good village." "Which it certainly has been for me," says Greenside."
Mark Greenside first visited Paris at age 21 in 1966 and encountered Parisian rudeness. In 1990 he returned, persuaded by his then-girlfriend, and became smitten with Brittany's countryside. He noticed Celtic flags and a welcoming attitude rooted in Breton identity as outsiders within France. After the relationship ended he purchased a two-story stone country home in a discreet village he named Plobien, combining Breton and French meanings. The house cost 75,000 francs. He continued full-time teaching for the Peralta Community College District and began spending summers in Brittany and writing about his experiences.
Read at The Mercury News
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