I was bowled over by Pedro Martin’s playing of the Portugese guitar, a most beautiful instrument. He was ably accompanied by Rafael Carvalho on classical guitar. And then fadista Cristina de Sousa arrived on stage, a commanding presence with a splendid voice. Together they filled the room with the sweet, sometimes melancholy, sound of Fado.

After they finished, when the spell of the music was broken, we were treated to a delicious buffet including my favourite Portuguese finger food ’pasteis de bacalau’. We then spoke to the guardian of the building and learned some of it’s history.

Marcel Hastir ( 1906-2011) bought the house in 1935 to use as his art studio and atelier. During WWII it was an important centre for the resistance.

You will be able to visit on Heritage Days – Journées du Patrimoine – Open Monumentendagen [>https://ateliermarcelhastir.eu/agenda/heritage-days-journees-du-patrimoine-open-monumentendagen/]-
Saturday 20 or Sun 21 Sep. 2025 from 10.00 - 18.00.
Or you can attend one of their varied programme of concerts.
P.S. on hot days do take a fan.

Jill Hawkes
U.K. Group