To ask French speakers and/ or readers of old handwriting to tell me what this says?

[AveAtqueVale]

DM and I were going through her books today and came across this - wondering if anyone can shed any light on the inscriptions in the front. She thinks it belonged to one of her grandparents but doesn't know which. Have got as far as 'my dear and honoured friend' with the second one but can't read the top one at all.

Would be very grateful for any assistance!

Just a suggestion, but the window that opens for an image here really isn't big enough to make out the detail; would it be possible to put it on an image hosting site and then post the link to it? It might help.

I'll try that. Also looking again I'm not actually sure the top inscription is in French at all. Hrrmm.

It looks like the second-to-last word of the top inscription is Glück, which is German for luck. But I can’t make out any of the other words so not sure if it is German

Oh I think they're here now. @BelgianWhistles could it be Flemish? I think the book was published in Brussels. Forgot to take a photo of that info though.

I have no idea what it says but really want to find out! So interesting!

I would say the top is German too, but too out of focus to make out much. I can see “Ihren” or “Ihnen” (your/you) a couple of times, and “können” (can) too.

Top one is German, bottom one French. I'd need a clearer photo, eyesight isn't all that good. But both start with the same greetings phrase.

I think the bottom is a translation of the top. Can you transcribe the bottom (even best guess) as its tricky to read the writing?

Oh yes- it looks like it starts with “meinem lieben und...”

I see a “zu” (too) in there as well.

I’m trying to work out the first word of the fourth line. It looks like it starts with vor-

Who is Gsilhon? Or Gsilhow? Because both the German and French seem to be addressed to them.

Could it be luxembourgish?

I agree Belgian

The French part says:
My dear and honored friend Grichon ( or Grilhon?), May reading this book remind you of the pleasant hours that I had the invaluable joy to spend so often in your incomparable company.
I hope that makes sense! Such as sweet message.

I can’t make it all out, but after the greeting the bottom one says something like...after reading the book I have spent hours remembering the invaluable happiness of spending time in your incomparable company

Ahh, cross post with malaguena who could clearly see it better than me! Bravo!

As pp have mentioned the bottom is a translation into french if the top German. I have pretty basic fresh but decent German and from what I can make out @malaguena has the translation spot on!

So, OP, do you know who Grichon was?

Top half is German, the bottom looks like it is the translation. I can't read it all, but it looks like the book was a present and the giver inscribed it to his "Dear and honoured Friend Grichon". I'll see if I can decipher a bit more.

Ahh thank you all so much. I did wonder if the name was Guillaume - I'm pretty sure all my great grandfathers were Williams, so that might make sense. But Grichon - no idea. Will have to investigate the book collection further and see if I can uncover any more.