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LEAH The story takes
place in a charming little French village
at Christmastime.
In this idyllic setting, our heroine
lives, a shy, hardworking maid with dreams as expansive
as the starry winter sky and a heart
as pure as the fresh fallen snow.
She moves through her days with a secret wish tucked deep
within her, a wish for a love as deep as the rivers,
as enduring as the old stone bridges of her village.
But such a love seems elusive.
And then the hero comes in.
He's perfect.
He's a doctor, rides horses.
The poor maid locks eyes with him across the crowded market
and everything else melts away.
And they know, in that perfect moment,
they're meant to be together forever.
Leah.
Leah?
Leah, honey, I know the story, The Doctor and the Maid.
You made your father read it to you every night.
Yeah, well, it's my favorite.
Yeah, well, you're not going to find a husband
in a fairy tale, I'm afraid.
And I hate to say it but, honey, you're not getting any younger.
Ow.
Thanks for the reminder, Mom.
What about Alexander from church?
I've always thought he was very cute.
Well, cute.
Well-- tall.
Can you stop trying to set me up with every single man
in the city.
And Alexander is way too tall.
I would have neck pain my entire life.
Besides, I will know it when I see him.
We'll lock eyes and--
everything else will melt away.
Sounds lovely.
But I don't think it always works like that.
And-- oh, honey, I just think you
could be waiting a long time for something like that.
It's not waiting.
It's being patient.
There's a difference.
And I remember a dad reading me those stories when I was small.
When he passed, someone else read it to me.
You did.
You told me stories about how you met and how amazing he was.
And I don't want to settle for anything less than that.
Mom, I'm bored.
Hey, this is cute.
But I don't want to leave with anything that isn't on my list.
OK, OK.
All I'm looking for is a jewelry box--
wooden, simple, and-- elegant.
Well, would you look at that.
It looks just like the one your father
gave you when you were little.
Exactly, it's perfect.
Good eye.
We just got that in from France.
It used to play a melody.
But the mechanism is broken.
Do you know how old it is?
No idea.
By the condition, at least 50 years.
Great, I'll take it.
And, uh, this as well.
I thought you weren't getting anything
that wasn't on your list.
Yes, but the list is--
Subject to change.
Exactly.
Hey, someone to keep you company.
Merry Christmas.
Oh, cute.
So tell me again how you and dad met.
Ah, we were young--
much younger than you are now.
Yes, The Doctor and the Old Maid.
I get it.
Yes, we're here at the Museum of Modern Art where
they're moments away from unveiling the brand-new
Christmas exhibition.
The highlight of the collection undoubtedly
is a piece from an artist in post-war France
and has been causing quite a stir
with its enigmatic subject.
It's a-- painting.
What's the big deal?
It's the mystery of it, an unknown artist.
It's romantic.
It brings up so many interesting questions.
Who is this woman?
Where was it painted? Why?
When did she--
When's lunch?
Exactly.
Come on, Mark.
You don't feel anything when you look at this?
I feel-- like we both should be covering
something more important.
Well, we saw it.
Come on, Brian.
Let's go.
And while we don't know the artist's name,
the painting is dedicated to someone
named Ma Fleur, which translates from the French to "my flower."
And-- come on, what a dedication, so romantic.
The only identifying information we have is the signature
of the artist with just the letter F. This piece,
alongside its story, is sure to be the talk of the new exhibit.
Do you know what "Marché de Noel" means?
I took Spanish in high school.
And I don't even remember that.
It means "Christmas Market."
They pop up every winter in various towns across Europe.
They're quaint, romantic festivals with twinkling
lights and cozy drinks.
And this journal is all about finding love-- true love
at the Christmas market in a French village
called Petit Marchand.
It's a love story.
Well, the drawing does look similar to the painting.
Right?
OK, now, look at the signature.
Huh, you have my full attention.
What does it say?
OK, so F recounts the story of falling
in love with Ma Fleur on the first night
of the Marché de Noel, right?
And he talks about the legend of the town
that you are destined to meet your soulmate
at Le Marché de Noel.
And he's sure that he's found his.
And him and Ma Fleur both know that her parents
wouldn't approve.
So they meet secretly every night at the market.
And after he proposes, they decide to elope.
Very Romeo and Juliet.
Without the tragic ending, I hope.
It actually doesn't even have an ending at all.
The last few pages are missing, so--
Sounds like the kind of human interest story
The Post would love.
Except I am not a journalist.
Yet.
I think this story could bring you up to the majors.
You know, maybe I should buy a ticket to France
and visit that magical town, find my perfect soulmate,
and finally finish a writing sample
that I am proud to submit.
Leah, you're passionate, articulate, driven, more
optimistic than anyone I know.
You'd be a great journalist.
But waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect writing
sample to fall into your lap isn't
going to get you anywhere.
Well, hey, biding my time to get what's right
isn't always a bad thing.
If you're happy being a copy editor.
Hey, copy editor, finish proofreading
the Johnson article?
I am.
It should be in your inbox.
Great.
Oh, but I did notice a couple of times
that you have misused the word "disinterested."
It's a common misconception, you know.
While most people think it means just simply not interested,
it actually refers to a lack of bias or being
fair and impartial, such as a disinterested judge
or a disinterested journalist.
Mm, did you fix it?
I did.
Well, you always fix it.
So to be honest, I am rather--
disinterested.
I would think that a journalist would care
about the English language.
I find it hard to believe that Moody
Mark could care about anything.
Company meeting-- now.
So-- bad news.
Our annual holiday issue headliner
has fallen into the abyss.
So we need something new.
And we need something fast.
Who's got a lead?
How about a story on the soup kitchen?
Mm, we aren't just writing about businesses in peril.
Where's the heart?
Tell me the story about the woman
who quits her job, moves back to her hometown,
crosses paths with her high school sweetheart who
volunteers at the soup kitchen, and now
they keep it open together.
Now, I want that story.
Really, people, nothing?
Need I remind you, this is our biggest seller.
This is important to The Post's bottom line.
You know that new painting at the Museum
of Modern Art, the one the whole city has been buzzing about?
Leah found the diary of the painter.
Oh, well, I'm listening, Leah.
What is Christmas about--
if not bringing people together?
The year's 1959 in the French village of Petit Marchand,
where local legend has it you're destined to meet your soulmate.
It's a love story between two young lovers
forbidden from being together.
But under the twinkling lights of the Marché Noel,
they promise each other their future.
And they make a plan to escape.
And together, they create this painting
and also a love that still inspires
the public decades later.
So what happened to them since then?
Did they ever find their happily ever after?
That's what I'd like to find out.
Mystery, romance, Christmas--
I love it.
So is this couple still together?
I don't know.
But based on, you know, how he writes about his love,
I'd bet on it.
Well, I hope you're right.
Nobody wants a tragic ending at Christmas.
Emilio, start looking at flights to Petit Marchand.
You're really going for this?
Oh, no, Mark, you are.
Now, you need to get to France in the morning,
so you better get packing.
Uh, what?
What?
Hmm, yeah.
You're assigning me a Christmas puff piece.
Yes, I am.
I have been on the ground in refugee camps.
I have covered places other reporters refused to go.
And you are under utilizing my skills.
Mark, you are the best reporter that we have here.
You know how to go overseas and work out a story.
And I need someone of your caliber
to drive this story home.
I'm the only one available.
You're the only one available.
Fine.
Thank you.
Fine.
Oh, hey, good pitch back there, Leah.
Will you make sure Mark gets the journal to take with him?
Actually, I'd like to talk to you about that.
I want to write the piece.
You're a copy editor, not a journalist.
Well, no, not-- not yet.
Noted, but this is a big seller for The Post.
Look, I-- I can't assign a story to someone
who hasn't written for us yet.
What if I flew myself out?
I could use my vacation days.
This piece is important to me.
I've been reading The Post my entire life.
And to see my name on the page would mean the world.
Give me this chance.
And-- technically, the journal belongs to me.
OK.
OK?
OK-- yes?
Go.
OK.
Mark, Leah's going with you.
Work with her.
I look forward to working with you.
No, you don't.
You're right.
But I do look forward to being in France
and unearthing a beautiful love story.
Find your enthusiasm concerning.
The proper word you're looking for is disconcerting.
You're speaking to me concerning my disconcerting enthusiasm.
Wow, so much fun already.
Never even left the country before.
What am I supposed to pack?
Does my hair dryer work in France?
Do they even have hair dryers in France?
I mean, they must, otherwise the French people
are just walking around with wet hair, which seems--
What?
I'm just proud of you.
That's all.
Finally getting the shot you deserve.
Thank you.
Now, the legend says you meet your soulmate
in this Christmas market, yeah?
So should I plan for a plus one at Christmas dinner?
If there happens to be a doctor.
Who's not too tall.
Right.
ride in a one horse open sleigh.
Not the sad eyes.
Don't you dare.
I'm only gone a week.
And besides, you get to hang with Emma next door.
I know she sneaks you scraps under the table.
Come in.
Hi, Mark.
Buddy!
Ahh.
Thanks.
You'll take good care of my boy, right?
I will.
We're having spaghetti tonight.
Wait-- no spaghetti.
Bye.
Buddy gets special food.
I made enough to last a week.
So-- I put together a strategy so we
can hit the ground running.
It's a comprehensive, multi-point plan.
Totally.
I was thinking we could use the journal as our guide
and recreate the activities that F and Ma Fleur
did the night they met at Le Marché de Noel,
you know, see things from their perspective,
discover every little detail that brought them together.
I scheduled it by day.
Mm-hmm.
I also scoured the journal for clues.
That list is here.
There's one thing I can't figure out.
F mentions that he would hide notes for Ma Fleur
under a loose stone behind la glace, which
translates to "behind the ice," which doesn't even make sense.
Neat.
Can you at least pretend like you care about this.
Look, I get all that.
Really, I do.
And, um, that's actually really well put together.
Thank you.
But the way you're going about it, it makes it seem--
green, new, fresh.
I know what green means.
Besides, I am all those things, OK?
So how would you approach it, you know, being so wise
and, uh, what's the opposite of green?
Uh, ripe or spoiled?
I prefer to let go of the plan--
Wing it.
Yeah, uh, winging it isn't exactly my style.
Clearly.
Look, in this line of work, you need
to develop a skill for adapting, starting
by adapting to your time zone.
We're jetlagged, and you didn't sleep at all on the plane, so--
I was too excited on the plane.
It was my first flight internationally,
so I couldn't sleep.
You're exhausted.
I'm exhausted.
A journalist who's falling asleep
isn't any good to anybody.
So let's close our eyes and get some rest, yeah.
OK, so once you have your beauty sleep,
how do you suggest we find this couple?
We find what we can online.
And then we go boots on the ground.
Someone in this town has to know what happened to the couple.
So we play to the hearts and minds of the locals.
Hearts and minds?
It's a military term.
We get them working for us.
Gee, you don't have any experience
working for the military?
No, but--
I have nothing but respect and admiration for them.
That was a rhetorical question.
And I used rhetoric in my answer.
For the record, la glace doesn't mean ice.
It means ice cream.
Behind the ice cream doesn't even make sense.
Besides, words can have multiple meanings, you know.
But which one will be right for this situation?
Bet it'll be ice cream.
All this Christmas kitsch, little bit much,
don't you think?
Hmm.
Pere Fouettard.
Charming.
You know, there's no way this F and Ma Fleur
are still together, eh?
Don't put that out there.
What we say or do or think now is
it going to change what happened to this couple of decades ago.
No, not with that attitude.
So clearly we have different approaches to this.
You know, we don't necessarily have to--
work side by side on this.
Yeah.
Yeah, maybe it's more efficient if we split
up, do things our own way.
We'd cover more ground.
Yeah, and I'm sure it'll be a more pleasant experience
for the both of us.
OK, so where is your first step?
Bed and breakfast, specifically the bed part.
Perfect, you can take my bags.
OK.
Ah, bonjour.
I am Camille.
Welcome to my inn.
Uh, this is Sophie, [french].
Checking in, monsieur?
Yeah, hi, for Mark Webber and Leah--
my colleague Leah.
Ah, the American reporters.
You must be very tired after your long trip, no?
Absolutely exhausted.
Thank you for asking.
Room three.
Bonjour.
Uh, chocolate, uh,
hot-- hot chocolate.
Yes, oui, that.
Merci.
Oh, chestnuts.
Oh, hot chestnuts.
Yes, oui, merci.
Yeah, sure, whatever that is.
Wow, Mark is really missing out.
No, merci.
Hot chocolate and roasted chestnuts?
That's a-- very kind
of-- you could just leave--
um, there.
Is it fun being reporter?
Um, uh, yeah, sometimes it can be.
I want to be a reporter when I grow up.
Really?
I'm very observant.
I'll tell you what.
I'll give you your first mission, OK?
You be my eyes and ears here.
And right now, that means letting me sleep.
And what if I find anything important?
Well, if it's really important--
you tell me-- later, way after I wake up.
Yes, sir.
You can count on me.
Au revoir.
Mm.
Backwards-- uh, excuse me.
Bonjour, uh, do you speak English?
Yes.
Yes, OK, good.
Do you know where the Hall of Records is?
Oh, [french].
Yes.
It burned down in 1977.
Anything prior to that was lost in the fire.
Merci.
All right.
Why?
Hello, Sophie-- again.
Sorry to bother you, but you told me to wake you up
if I found anything important.
I don't recall wording it exactly like that.
I noticed your work partner still has not arrived.
And that's really important to you?
It would be if I was in a new country with another reporter
and she had not checked in for hours and I
cared about her well-being.
I did a good job, no?
Yeah, sure.
Good job, kiddo.
Oh.
Pardon.
Monsieur!
Oh, pardon.
Pardon.
There you are.
Come on, Sleeping Beauty.
Let's get you back to the inn.
Yeah, OK.
Yeah, come on.
This way.
You all right?
Did you find your perfectly average height
doctor?
No, but the setting is perfect, the quaint stalls
and the cobblestone streets.
MOM Whoa, who's that?
He's handsome.
Oh, Mother.
I've got to go, mom. I love you.
Bye.
What's this I hear about the hunt
for an average height doctor?
Bonjour.
Would you like a pain au chocolate?
Some coffee for me, please, Camille.
Yeah, mine was delicious.
Thank you, Camille.
I see you've left no gifts for the gnomes last night.
Mm, no, we have not.
Should we have?
If you don't leave any gifts, the gnomes,
they will play tricks on you.
What kind of gifts should we leave?
Chocolates or toys, a macaron.
Just leave it outside your bedroom door at night.
And, um, these gnomes, do they give good luck as well?
If they're feeling friendly.
OK, that's about enough of that.
We should get to work.
Yes, uh, thank you for breakfast,
Camille, and you too Sophie.
Oh, uh, one more thing.
What is the most common meaning of la glace?
Ice.
Ice cream.
So I already looked at the Hall of Records.
That's a dead end.
Burned down before 1977.
Wait, how did you know that?
Well, you were running yourself ragged yesterday,
I got some rest and simply looked it
up online, because you could just
Google things like a reporter.
OK, but maybe the records are archived regionally.
Nope, I already checked.
Uh, what else is there on your agenda?
Look, um, I know I said yesterday
that we should work separately.
But-- you are more experienced, so maybe there's a thing
or two I could learn from you.
Well, that was very brave, yet embarrassing of you to admit.
I respect it.
All right, well, don't make me regret it.
Where will we start?
With the tangible clues.
Let me see the music box.
F hired a woodworker to custom make this for Ma Fleur, right?
And there's a symbol here on the top.
If we can figure out what this means,
maybe we can get somewhere with the story.
I'm guessing you already googled it.
Hey, you're learning.
Well done.
Unfortunately, there's nothing available online.
I had the tech department at The Post run
some photo recognition software on it,
which turned up exactly nothing, which is why we are
starting with an interview--
here.
This is your first one, so you let me do the talking.
I'll show you how it's done.
Bonjour, monsieur, I-- [french].
Oui, I certainly do.
Always happy for a chance to practice my English.
Well, that's lucky for you, because, uh,
my Francais is, uh, pretty terrible.
So hi, I'm Mark.
This is Leah.
Bonjour.
Your work is beautiful.
Merci.
Bernard Du Bois.
Welcome to [french].
Um, so this-- this, uh, box was made here in Petit
Marchand sometime in the 1950s.
Do you recognize it?
Do you know anything about it?
Excellent-- um, artisinal--
the English escapes me--
Uh, craftsmanship.
Oui, voila, merci.
But, um, I cannot tell you much.
This symbol is likely the mark of the woodworker who made it.
But not ones that I recognize.
Hmm, um, do the names F and Ma Fleur mean anything to you?
I apologize.
I cannot be of more, um-- um--
[french].
Aid-- aid.
You're apologizing for not being able to help more.
Help.
Help, merci beaucoup, mademoiselle.
Thank you.
Oh, uh, one more thing.
Do you believe in the legend that you're
destined to meet your soulmate at the Marché Noel?
I have seen many people fall in love here.
My parents fell in love at Le Marché Noel, my brother.
I haven't found my love yet.
But I believe she's on her way.
I'm always late, so it makes sense that she would be too.
All right, time to go.
Merci.
Thank you so much, Bernard. Nice to meet you.
Bye.
Au revoir.
So-- that's how it's done, huh?
Every lead we check off is a step closer.
Mm-hmm.
Well, it seems like there might be something
to this legend after all.
People do fall in love here.
Hmm, and how much tourism does that little legend
bring to town?
I'm sure they're all very happy to perpetuate it.
Was that an act back there?
Do you just pretend to be charming to get your way?
No, I am charming, just when it suits me.
Ah.
There's a difference.
OK, if you say so.
This music box, do you recognize it?
Do you know anything about it?
We work in a newspaper.
And we are writing an article about le marché.
No, no, no.
We're not looking to buy.
We're, uh, journalists.
Actually, we were wondering
if we could ask you a few questions about your shop.
We're looking for a loose stone below la glace.
Can you tell us anything about, uh, the--
We were hoping we could ask you
a few questions about your--
May we ask you a few questions?
Do you mind if I take a look around?
Look, I know you're the pro.
But how do you feel about switching strategies?
Hey, you know what?
You think you could do better than established protocol--
be my guest.
Really?
Really.
And you'll go along with it?
I will go along with it.
Great. You won't regret it.
You might actually have some fun.
So I'm thinking we go back to our original plan,
do what F and Ma Fleur did the night they met,
see things from their perspective.
I really think if we can recreate the night,
you know, that perfect moment, we can unlock the story.
Cool, I'm glad you're on board.
Hmm.
Bonjour.
So F and Ma Fleur met when he was dancing with his friends
by the musicians.
And she walked by, and he accidentally
knocked a pomme d'amour out of her hand.
Pomme d'amour?
Apple of love.
That's what they call candied apples here.
Cute.
I know.
Do you want one?
No.
One, please.
Merci.
OK, so now you--
uh, you go and dance.
And when I walk by, you knock this out of my hand.
You said you'd go along with this.
OK.
Go, OK.
OK.
Come on.
I know you can bust a move.
Just-- OK, what kind of dance do you know?
I danced ballroom--
briefly in high school.
I will not explain further.
OK, uh, then ballroom and knock this out of my hand.
OK.
Tourists.
- We should go. - We should go right now.
Yeah, let's go.
Let's just go.
So that was the perfect moment, a candied apple.
Not just.
They-- went on a walk after meeting to get
to know each other better.
And then they shared their first kiss--
in front of the big tree.
It's beautiful.
It's a tree.
What's your deal with Christmas?
What do you mean?
Any time anyone brings up anything about Christmas,
you get all pessimistic.
And not just like neutral, you become such a downer about it.
There's something going on there.
You know what?
I'm going to turn this around for you.
I have faith.
OK, this is our perfect moment.
Dip me.
Why?
F dipped Ma Fleur in front of the big tree
and then they shared their first kiss.
So dip me.
No kiss necessary.
Do I have to make fun of your ballroom dancing?
Do I have to make fun of your quest for a short doctor?
Average-- I said average height.
Come on.
Get to dipping.
OK.
That's the symbol.
See?
I told you.
It worked.
It's the same woodworker symbol.
Whomever made this stand must have custom made the music
box for our painter, right?
Exactly, except it's whoever, not whomever.
Subject-pronoun, not object-pronoun.
Um, I'm going to take the lead on this one.
I found the clues that brought us here, so-- bonjour.
Bonjour-- oh, what a cute couple you two are.
,, I have the perfect cookie for the perfect night.
Tell me your names, I'll make one special for you.
Yes, except we are not together.
I mean, we are technically together
as we are here together.
But we are not a couple--
coworkers.
Coworkers, [french].
I can see the Marché Noel at work here,
perhaps more than coworkers soon enough.
Right, so we work at a newspaper.
And we are writing an article about the market.
May we ask you a few questions?
,, I would love to help.
But Christmas is our busiest time of the year at the bakery.
I'm afraid I'm out of time.
Just like a few little seconds, s'il vous plait.
Madam, [french].
As you can see, it's crowded.
There's so many people.
I cannot do this.
I'm sorry.
I love that big one in the back.
Could you personalize it for us?
Leah and Mark with a K.
Mark with a K, right away.
Ah, say, mate, how long has this stand been around?
Oh, we've had the bakery since just
after the Second World War.
Been in my family since my grandfather built the stand.
He built it himself.
That's impressive.
Oh, he was an impressive man.
Baker, wood worker, carpenter, you know, he
loved working with his hands.
And this symbol up here, can you us anything about that?
And here you are Mark with a K. Sorry, very busy.
That'll be 8 euros.
You know, we--
we forgot to get one for Sophie at the inn.
Yes.
Can we get another one for Sophie, please?
Right away, sir, Sophie.
symbol, it was actually my grandfather's trademark.
He was the best in town, you know, like creme de la creme
That's how people knew they were buying quality.
Here you are.
Oh, actually, you know what?
That one in the back is-- looks really good.
Um, and your grandfather, did he put that symbol
on everything that he made?
Oh, yes, he did.
Grandpere would have the recipients name on everything
he sold for them to find.
That was his little game, you know.
If he made a gift for you, he would a hidden mark with a K.
You know what?
We'll take this whole row right here.
Your grandfather, he didn't-- he didn't keep sales records,
did he? - Oh, no.
All gone years ago.
Um, that'll be 75 euros.
Oh, wow.
It's so nice to meet you. Thank you.
Yes, thank--
Pay the man.
You know what's funny--
snow, the cobblestone streets, your doctor--
reminds me of this kid's book my mom used
to read me when I was little.
The Doctor and the Maid.
You know it.
Yeah, it's my favorite book.
Yeah, it was my mom's favorite too.
Huh.
So it took me a while to find, but do you remember,
he said his grandfather would engrave the name of the person
the piece was made for.
And so-- voila.
Ava Auclair, our Ma Fleur.
Well done.
Thank you.
And just like you, I used the internet.
And according to recent census records,
there are no Auclairs is currently living in town.
But I did find this--
a photograph labeled Ava Auclair Petit Marchand 1955.
Photographer uncredited.
You did good.
Well-- I--
I did well.
Uh-- good is an adjective.
Well is an adverb.
Just take the compliment.
Good-- I did good.
Thank you.
Voila.
And for you, Leah?
Uh, a croissant au chocolate, s'il vous plait.
So do you see the townhome in the picture?
It's a much less abstract version
of the one in the painting.
It looks like the townhomes by the cathedral, the street
with all the Christmas lights.
Thank you, Sophie.
That's actually very helpful.
Observant, sign of a good reporter.
Merci.
In France, we have chocolate for breakfast.
There's salt. That's salt.
Those silly gnomes.
I'm guessing you didn't leave any gift for them.
Hmm.
It's like this building doesn't exist.
I mean, none of them quite line up.
Yeah, and we've been on it all afternoon.
So at what point do we just say it's a dead end and move on?
You know what?
Maybe the journal might help.
Let's see.
So on the second day of the market, the two young lovers--
rode a horse-drawn carriage--
to see the Christmas lights.
What do you say?
Worked for us last night?
No, last night was pure luck.
And, uh, I think we checked every house in the area.
It's not going to magically change
if we take a carriage ride.
Pere Noel, Santa Claus.
La Pere Fouettard.
Oh, oh.
Oh, whoa.
Ow, why do these kids keep kicking me?
We should go.
Well, it isn't exactly a horse-drawn carriage,
but it'll do.
At least I can practice my, uh, princess wave.
Like a homecoming queen.
Yeah, well, my mom wanted me to be homecoming queen.
Imagine her disappointment when I ended up doing Model UN.
Nerd. - Hey.
No.
No, no, no, I'm only saying that because you
are talking to a delegate Mark Webber UN Ambassador
to the United Kingdom.
Hey, there.
How you doing?
I went to a national conference, did a whole speech
on nuclear non-proliferation.
Got ripped to shreds.
Nuclear non-proliferation was my subject.
Hmm, and I knew you were a nerd.
I didn't know that you were my kind of nerd.
I could see how this setting would be romantic--
under different circumstances.
Oh, different as in with a handsome
doctor instead of your grumpy but charming co-worker?
Ideally.
So you're-- you're pretty sold on the whole love story thing.
Do you mind if I ask where that comes from?
Uh, my dad passed away when I was a kid.
You know, and he left my mom with five children
under the age of nine, which was really hard for her
and really tough on us.
Sorry.
Thank you.
Uh, but he's the reason I believe in true love,
the way my mom talks about him.
But they never got their happy ending.
So-- I guess I've always been looking for it.
Have you ever been in love?
Once.
Didn't work out.
Why not?
I always wanted a big family.
She didn't.
Put an expiration date on things.
I always kind of pictured you as a loner.
Well, full of surprises.
Yeah.
Hey, excuse me, sir.
Stop the trolley.
Wait, show me the picture.
That's it, right?
That's the door.
Yes, well done, Delegate Webber.
Bonjour, [french].
Hi, my name is Mark.
This is Leah.
Bonjour.
They call me Marguerite.
We were hoping we could ask a few questions
about your lovely town home.
I'm not interested in selling. I'm sorry.
Oh, no, no.
We're not looking to buy.
We're journalists from the US.
Journalists, how intriguing.
But it's a very busy time for me, I'm afraid.
I'm in the middle of wrapping Christmas gifts
for my nieces and nephews.
Oh.
And there are many--
so many.
au revoir.
I'm actually really great at wrapping gifts.
And we would be happy to help.
Wouldn't we, Mark?
I love it.
It's my favorite pastime.
So kind.
So generous.
Uh, come in.
Come in.
Hearts and minds.
OK.
I'm one of six children.
And they have all decided to make many little babies.
I'm the oldest of five, so I get it.
So tell me, what brings two beautiful,
fancy American reporters all the way to my petite maison?
Oh, well, a photograph of a girl in front of this townhome.
Do you happen to know anything about Ava Auclair?
Mais oui.
Oui?
My parents bought this home from a family Auclair
a long time ago.
I was not here yet, a star in heaven
waiting to make my entrance.
Um, and, uh, did your parents happen to mention anything
about the Auclairs to you?
Not much.
I only know that they used to own the ice
cream shop in town, La Glacier.
Ice cream shop.
Mm-hmm.
Because that's what I heard was ice cream.
I just want to-- seems like it was--
Yes.
important.
Do you mind if I take a look around?
Oh, feel free.
Thanks.
Each item was acquired over a lifetime of holidays.
Is there anything left in the house from the Auclairs?
I cannot imagine anything but the walls, the windows,
the floors beneath us.
Do you believe in the legend, Marguerite,
that you're destined to meet your soulmate
at the Marché de Noel?
For me, it is not real.
Every year, I sat on the bench in the middle
of Le Marché waiting for my Prince Charming
to whisk me away.
He never did.
I haven't been in years.
Perhaps Le Marché and perhaps love are not for me.
But what if your prince is just around the corner?
You shouldn't give up on love, especially around Christmas.
Apologies, Marguerite.
Leah has a very idealistic view of romance.
Oh, my darling, so do I. Even as a little girl,
I imagined that my love, mon amour, lived in this house,
here.
And that-- this was my house just over the bridge.
Oh, well, there's your problem.
The bridge isn't big enough to go over the water.
Mm-hmm, I have had many bridges over the years--
too big, too small, no, not quite the right size.
I actually think I know someone who can help you.
What?
You are full of surprises.
OK, I told you.
So what did F and Ma Fleur do next?
I'm not sure how to explain it, but I admit,
your strategy has been working for us.
OK, uh, well, after the boat, they danced to the music
of the street musicians.
Am I going to regret this?
Come on.
Let's put your ballroom moves to good use.
It was nice of you to, um, set up Marguerite and Bernard.
Eh, she needed a bridge.
Hmm, come on, now, Mark Webber.
Don't deny it.
You knew what you were doing.
Well, maybe.
Maybe your positivity might actually be rubbing off on me.
Believe it or not, I did get into journalism to help people.
Really?
Is it that hard to believe that Moody Mark might
actually care about something?
Yeah, don't worry.
I know people call me that.
In fact, I started it so everyone would leave
me alone and let me write.
Interesting tactic.
OK. - Mm-hmm.
OK.
Mm-hmm.
All right.
I spent a lot of time over the years
telling stories for people who aren't
capable of telling their own.
After all that, coming back to the office,
I guess, small talk, it felt superficial.
So I became Moody Mark.
People don't bother Moody Mark.
They let me come and go, do my work.
It's easier that way.
Yeah, I could see how a puff piece like this
would feel frivolous in comparison.
But for me, it was beautiful stories
like these that kept me going.
When my mom was working, I would tell my younger siblings
uplifting stories from The Post, especially around Christmas.
I've seen firsthand how a little joy and a little hope
can make a difference in someone's life.
Kind of always dreamed of having my name printed next to them.
My parents divorced when I was young and I was an only child.
I always wondered what Christmas would be like for a big family.
Well, it may be a shock to your system,
but you're always welcome to ours.
I'm hosting this year.
OK, I just might take you up on that.
OK.
We should, uh--
I mean, it's getting late so we should go--
Yeah.
rest.
Yeah, yeah, after you.
Hmm.
For the gnomes.
Good night.
Leah, good night.
Good night.
Why does your face look like that?
Shouldn't you be at sleep?
I'm French.
I stay up late.
Tell me, Sophie, why do you want to be a reporter anyway?
I like to know why things are the way they are.
And I like to ask questions.
You know, that's actually a really good strategy.
You ask why until you can't ask why anymore.
And then you've gotten to the bottom of the story.
You remind me of me when I was a kid.
I liked to ask annoying questions too.
And now you don't like anything.
Touché.
Thanks for the cookie with my name by the way.
It wasn't me.
Leah said it was.
Leah's wrong.
Leah's nice and beautiful, no?
OK, goodnight, Sophie.
You should leave gifts for the gnomes.
Maybe they can help you.
Good night, Sophie.
Did you see Samantha's email?
She wants to know if we have anything yet.
What do we tell her?
Don't worry about Samantha.
She's like this on every article.
We're fine.
We're on the right track.
Voila.
Oh, chocolate croissant?
Oui.
Mark ordered it for you.
In France, we eat chocolate for breakfast, right?
- Yeah. - And nothing for me, Camille.
Thank you.
Wouldn't want the gnomes to play another trick
on me this morning.
Mm, OK, I know you usually only have coffee for breakfast,
but you need to try this.
It's delicious.
I'm good, thank you.
But I--
Yeah, I know you thrive on being no fun.
Just try it.
Trust me. just got to try it.
OK.
Yeah.
Mm.
Oh, wow.
Oh, wow, that is good.
Sophie, I'm going to need like two or three dozen more of--
See, I knew you'd like it.
Come on.
Let's go for hot chocolates.
OK.
Not the gnomes.
How did they find me?
Ooh.
Do you think the ice cream shop has pastries too?
Yeah.
Yeah, I would think so.
Shh.
Why do kids keep saying that to me?
I don't know.
It's weird.
Hmm.
Thank you.
Hello.
Bonjour.
Some ice cream, or a crepe, or perhaps a hot chocolate?
I will have a hot chocolate.
Make it two.
OK.
Sounds good.
Actually, we had some questions about your shop,
if you don't mind.
No, we don't mind at all.
It would be a pleasure.
Can you tell us anything about the Auclairs?
They used to own the shop previously.
Oh, that was so long ago.
They were nice people, I recall.
I believe they moved away from Petit Marchand.
Beyond that, I don't know.
Did you ever know their daughter, Ava Auclair?
Uh-uh.
I did not.
No, no.
But that takes me back.
Do you remember, Vivian?
We were young and newly married when we bought this shop.
We fell in love right there at Le Marché Noel.
And we wanted so desperately to own a piece of the town.
Between everyone here, you all believe in legend of the town?
We have a first-hand account right here.
What else do you need?
Pierre and I had been at school together.
He was-- how you say--
bookish?
And I was a bit wild.
I never gave him a glance.
She was intimidating for a quiet boy like me.
And it was there at the market.
He was working the pretzel stand for his uncle.
And I saw him in a different light.
The magic of the market.
Mm.
Is it magic though?
Uh, who's to say you wouldn't have met and fallen
in love someplace else?
I believe there is magic.
Or maybe there's, um, a placebo effect.
If you expect to meet your partner,
the odds of it happening go up.
Placebo or not, we are all very happy.
Well, absolutely no argument there.
Thank you so much for your time and this delicious hot
chocolate.
But before we go, since la glace means ice cream-- and we all
know la glace means ice cream--
we're looking for a loose stone below la glace.
Does that mean anything to you?
No.
No, I'm afraid not.
Bummer.
So what do you think?
Is this legend still a publicity stunt?
Hmm, they seem like the real deal.
I think you may be cracking, Mark Webber.
What is that?
Is that a way out of this conversation?
Hold on.
This is La Pere Fouettard.
This is what these kids keep calling me.
I guess so.
What even is La Pere Fouettard?
In France, he is known for accompanying Santa and--
dispensing whippings to naughty children.
Come on.
I mean, you kind of give off a vibe.
There is-- a vast difference between Moody Mark and, uh,
whatever that is.
Here, try the cloak on.
Do you mind?
Thank you.
Huh?
You got to like--
Huh?
You got to just--
It's way different.
Do the-- do the--
yeah, you're right.
I don't see it.
Children!
Children, Pere Fouettard!
Pere Fouettard!
Ow, oh.
Ow.
You better be nice or you're all getting coal this year.
Ah, oh, OK.
Oh, we got to go.
Oh, we need to go right now.
Oh, excuse me.
Ow.
Ah, tourista.
So OK, it's, uh, right here, outside of this cathedral,
after knowing each other for only three days,
that F proposed to Ma Fleur.
Three days.
You don't think that's a little quick?
What?
Do you have a timeline on true love?
When you know, you know.
No, I think true love takes time, trust, pragmatism.
Ah, yes, the key to every woman's heart-- pragmatism.
So I'm not proposing to you, for the record.
Understood.
And agreed.
When I get proposed to, I want it to be for real.
Hmm.
So what's next?
Well, to celebrate their engagement,
they rode the carousel.
But we could just skip that.
That's it?
You-- you have made me do every activity so far.
And you don't want to go to a carousel.
Well, you're generally pretty opposed to the concept of fun.
So we could just let it go.
No, absolutely not.
What would you possibly have against carousels?
I just get terrible motion sickness.
And I don't love horses.
Didn't the doctor ride a horse in The Doctor and The Maid?
You got to face that fear sometime.
Come on.
Maybe it'll lead to a, uh, perfect moment.
Come on.
Let's go.
OK, I guess you've been a good sport, so it goes both ways.
I think so.
Hello.
Hello, bonjour.
Can we ride?
Ah, oui, monsieur.
After you.
Excellent choice.
Thank you.
Oh, OK.
Ah, OK, wow.
Wow.
This is actually fun.
Thank you for the extra push.
Hey, you have been making me do things around town all week.
Figure now we're even.
Fair enough.
You can have this one.
Oh-- oh, what?
Was that can I have this one?
You may have this one.
Ah, the student becomes the master.
You OK?
Merci.
OK.
Whoo.
So what next?
Uh, well, F gave Ma Fleur an ornament as a placeholder
until he could get a ring.
OK, so the ornaments stand then?
Yes.
Let's go.
Yes.
Oh, this reminds me of my mom.
She's big into crafting.
Oh, yeah?
Mm-hmm.
What would she craft?
Everything.
Um, jewelry, journals, dolls, sock monkeys.
She would take us to thrift stores as children
and help us sew beads and patches on our clothes
to make them our own.
I used to think that she was just
encouraging our creativity.
But then, when I got older, I realized she was
struggling to pay the bills.
Anything she could DIY, she did.
She sounds incredible.
Yeah, she is.
Don't let me fool you.
She's a spitfire.
Ah, we'll take this--
for your mother.
And this as well.
Should make the gnomes happy for once.
Merci.
Thank you.
She'll love that.
You're welcome.
Thanks.
It's pretty.
Help a guy out, gnomes.
Hmm.
Thanks for meeting me here.
Well, you look festive.
Thanks.
Trying to get these kids to lay off me.
Not sure how much more my shins can take.
Well, I like it.
So uh, F and Ma Fleur decided to meet
here at midnight to exchange vows before running away.
And then he was planning on giving
her his gifts, that painting and the music box, that night.
But that is where the journal ends.
Well, everything's been leading here it seems.
I guess so.
No pressure, right?
La Pere Fouettard!
You OK?
Yeah.
Wow, this is amazing.
Everything in the US was built like yesterday in comparison.
Sometimes I forget you're seeing
this all for the first time.
Really?
No, you remind me constantly.
Well, I'm still green, right?
Maybe not as much as I thought.
I'll admit I doubted you pretty much at every step
right from the start.
But kind of hard to argue with your results so--
so you tell me, where do we go from here?
Well, there has to be something in this cathedral,
right, something that could help us break this story?
Mm.
What does la glace mean?
Just-- just do it.
I think we all know it means ice cream.
Yes.
And--
Oh, ice, wow.
And--
Mirror.
Below the mirror.
Can I help you?
Um, actually, yes.
Yes, I was wondering if you could
answer some questions for me about the nativity over there.
Yes.
Yeah?
Yes, great.
We'll just be a second, honey.
Why don't you light a candle for me.
- Got it. - Thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, so I--
I was hoping that you could tell me who these people are.
- Yes. - Obviously that's--
Yes.
Mary and baby Jesus.
Oui, and Joseph [french].
Oh, yeah.
And-- oh, uh, and who is-- who is this?
Uh, that's a shepherd, Madam.
And what's-- what's he got there?
That's a sheep, Madam.
Mm, fascinating.
And, uh, what-- what's, uh, this?
This is another sheep.
Mm, mm-hmm.
And, uh, that guy in the back over there, that's--
That's a wiseman.
Oh, yeah, and--
To my love, Ma Fleur, never showed up.
Waited for hours.
Broke my heart.
Forever yours, F.
Yeah, and then, obviously, that is--
Joseph.
Yep.
Hey, honey, are you--
you ready to hang out?
Yes.
Uh, thank you so much.
Uh, yeah, very informative.
I've learned-- I've learned a lot.
Merci.
Um, joyeux noel.
Joyeux noel.
So did you find it?
Yeah.
See, I knew it was the right way to go.
Leah, I have some bad news.
Bad news, what?
Was it stuck?
Was it empty?
Yeah.
Yeah, it was empty.
Sorry.
Well, OK.
Well, that doesn't necessarily mean anything though, right?
They would have gotten rid of it eventually.
And we can just find something else.
That's all.
Yeah, I'm not sure we're going to find what we're looking
for in the next few hours.
Yeah, but we haven't exhausted all of our resources yet.
I mean, we can talk to some more people.
Somebody's going to know something.
Maybe-- maybe our time is better spent regrouping.
Uh, well, I'm not going to give up on their love
that easily, especially not now.
OK, look, I'm gonna go find something else.
You can come with me or not.
I'm gonna head back to the inn,
see if there's something I can salvage.
Great.
Go team.
I appreciate you letting me stop by.
Well, I had no idea there was so much in the attic.
Oh, thank you for letting me look through it.
Mm, my pleasure.
So take your time.
And if you need me, I'm upstairs.
- OK. - OK?
Thank you.
Merci.
That's a new face.
I don't like it.
Yeah, well, I don't think we're
going to find the happy ending we've been looking for.
Maybe I can help.
I'll investigate.
Why won't you find your happy ending?
It says it right here.
Ava stood him up, broke his heart.
He waited for hours, but she never showed up.
So he wrote her a letter on the last page of his journal,
left it for her to find, pleading
for her to change her mind.
But-- she never came.
Hmm, why?
Probably because she realized it'd
be ridiculous for two teenagers to run away
together after just a few days.
But-- it would have been a really good story.
Why?
Everyone loves a love story, right?
I think Leah would have written it really well.
I see.
Why?
I just know how much she cares about it.
She believed this couple was together so much she
almost had me believing it.
She must be really sad they broke up then.
I haven't told her yet.
I haven't had the heart to.
She put so much faith in the magic
of this town and true love.
I guess I didn't want to break her heart.
And why?
Hmm.
Kind of hard to write a feel-good story
without a feel-good ending.
How about you?
Will the find anything, use your magic?
Yes, about that--
the name Philip makes the F sound.
So maybe they eloped and then got married later.
This is a British Army uniform.
His last name is Bancroft.
Our painter's French.
Yeah, but maybe they moved to the UK and he changed his name.
OK, I think it's time to start being realistic here.
We're talking about two teenagers
from half a century ago.
Yeah, my parents got married as teenagers.
And they'd still be together if he hadn't--
look, I'm sure we have a contact in London, OK?
We can find them.
I'll call Samantha.
Leah, it's not him.
They didn't elope.
They didn't end up together at all.
And I'm sorry.
I really-- I shouldn't have let you take it this far.
Let me?
I found the missing pages to the journal.
F wrote Ava a letter and left it for her.
She stood him up.
Where was this?
I found it in the church.
But you said it was empty.
You were so enthusiastic about it.
I-- I didn't want to mess that up.
I thought maybe--
So you just lied to me?
You know that I'm a journalist, right?
And more than anything, I want the truth.
God, it feels like we have been on a magical scavenger
hunt for the last week.
We are chasing some impossible dream instead of seeing
what is right in front of us.
OK, what's in front of me is a jaded reporter who'd rather
be dishonest than helpful.
Look, I knew you were moody, OK?
But I just-- I didn't think you were manipulative.
OK.
I'm the senior reporter here and I should have
reeled this in a long time ago.
So I'm calling it now.
It is time to pack up and go home.
Great, so you're just quitting?
Better than sitting around and waiting
for something that is literally never going to happen.
You want to be a good reporter, Leah?
Here's a tip.
Expect the worst.
It's always the worst.
What are you looking at?
What are you all looking at?
There's no need to yell.
We're are right here.
Now's not the time, Sophie.
It's not Sophie.
It's the gnomes.
That's enough, Sophie.
I'm tired of games, tired of fairy tales.
It's over, gnome.
It's only over if you say it over.
If you stop now, you're not even giving a happy ending a chance.
That is actually pretty insightful, for a gnome.
It was me the whole time.
Oh, wow.
No way.
As your, uh, girl reporter here in Petit Marchand,
I noticed something.
You and Leah make a good team.
And you smile more when you're with her.
You're right.
Leah and me--
Leah and I, we do make a good team.
And I do smile more when I'm with her.
You're going to be a pretty good reporter one day.
I'll tell you what.
When you're older, I know an editor in Paris.
And I'll set you up with an internship
if you're interested.
How did you do that?
Do what?
Move the music box when I wasn't looking.
How did you do that?
I didn't.
The gnomes!
They're trying to tell you something.
Excuse me.
Hi, mom.
I just wanted to show you the market before I leave.
It's beautiful, sweetie.
Hey, did you find your mysterious couple?
LEAH No, mom, I failed.
I wanted to will myself into finding something perfect,
you know, find like a beautiful love like what you and dad had.
And it turns out there's nothing out there.
MOM Uh, oh, sweetie, I
may have exaggerated our love story
for you kids just a little bit.
I mean, it made me happy to tell you stories about him
and, I don't know, have you seen him
as some larger-than-life character.
But we had problems just like any other couple.
Really?
Really.
And we fought from time to time.
And it took years to get over certain things.
And after all these years without him,
it's the great memories that are strongest.
But it's all still there--
the good and the bad.
And isn't that great?
Because who needs a fairy tale when
you can have something real?
Hey, everything's shaking.
Where are you going?
To find something real.
Sorry I lied to you.
You are a good reporter.
And we would not have gotten nearly as far without you.
This job has-- has worn me down over the years.
Working with you has actually been really refreshing.
I think I got so used to being Moody
Mark, shutting people out, that I forgot what
it was like to let them in.
I have been happier this past week than I have
been in a really long time.
And that's because of you.
So thank you.
I think I'm finally ready to let go of Moody Mark.
Wow, that was very brave, yet very embarrassing
of you to admit.
We wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you.
And I shouldn't have clung so tightly to some ideal
when it clearly wasn't helping us anymore.
I just-- I spent so long looking for something
perfect that I was--
blind to what was real.
So thank you for showing me how to do the job.
Sorry you won't get your name in The Post.
Yeah, that's OK.
You know, I don't have to wait till another journal
falls into my lap to try again.
You know, a very wise gnome told
me once upon a time-- and please, follow
my train of thought here.
Mm-hmm.
It's not over until you decide it's over.
I think the magic of Le Marché de Noel
might be rubbing off on me after all.
I had Bernard fix it for you.
I know who the painter is.
There's a painting that's been the talk of the city lately.
You know the one.
And our journey to find the artist
didn't quite go as planned.
But not much in life does.
We eventually did track down the mysterious F,
also known as Francois Renard.
And his grand plan to elope with Ma Fleur, Ava Auclair,
the subject of his painting, ended in heartbreak.
She stood him up that night.
Francois wrote her a letter and left it in their secret spot.
But she never showed up to find it.
Heartbroken, he tossed his journal,
the music box, and the painting in the snow that night.
How these items found their way across the world decades later,
I guess we'll never know.
Francois' story may not have played out like a fairy tale.
But he did get his happy ending after all.
He met Celine, a sculptor visiting Le Marché from Lyon.
Their shared passion for the art blossomed into a deep love.
And after a few years together, they married.
Now, with generation of their families
still living in Petit Marchand, I guess Le Marché
worked for him after all.
But that's the thing about love, it's
not just a fairy tale or something
you build up in your head.
It can be, but it's the magic of reality that makes it work.
Sorry you didn't get your perfect ending.
It's better.
It's real.
As for the legend of Le Marché de Noel,
the jury is still out on that one.
Maybe it's just a Christmas wish, born under the twinkling
lights and the fallen snow.
Or maybe it's the magic of being surrounded by people you
care about during the holidays.
Either way, I experienced firsthand what the magic
of the Christmas market brings.
And though life may not turn out exactly how you expect it to,
that doesn't mean it can't be unexpectedly perfect.