Sylvia Plath's Postcards: 10 July 1961, Dordogne, France

The last picture postcard that we know Sylvia Plath sent went from the Dordogne, France, to her mother at 3 Chalcot Square, London.

Dated 10 July, Plath wrote the postcard which depicts "Montignac-sur-Vézère (Dordogne). Grotte de Lascaux" and send it from Saint-Céré, France, and was postmarked 12 July 1961. A subcaption on the card reads, "Diverticule (paroi droite): Vache rouge et premier des chevaux dits 'Chinois'." It was published by Serv. Commercial Monuments Historiques. Gd. Palais. Av. Alexandre III. Porte G. Paris. There are two stamps on the postcard. One for .25 Francs depicting a woman, designed by Posyes. And another for .05 Francs depicting the Coat of Arms of Oran (Algeria). Aurelia Plath added "Stars Over Dordogne" in blue pen in the top middle of the page.

Plath addressed the letter:
Mrs. A. S. PLATH
c/o HUGHES
3 Chalcot Square
London N.W.1
Angleterre

Plath and Hughes were toward the end of their holiday and she reported in her letter that they were "eager" to get home.

The full text of the postcard appears on page 631 of The Letters of Sylvia Plath, Volume II, 1956-1963.

Here is a video from inside the cave.

All links accessed 7 August 2019 and 9 July 2020.

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