TravLog, Stardate: 01-07-05

Vignory
Originally uploaded by Epiphany.

A lazier day today. I think my hosts and I deserve it! :) I slept in, then Marc took Matthieu and I to join Doc at her school for lunch. Lunch at the school is a homestyle affair. Long tables, bowls of food placed around for everyone to serve themselves, conversation and comeraderie all around. Once again, Matthieu charmed the bunch, holding court from his basket/throne atop the table. I must say, he made a lovely and entertaining centerpiece.
On the way home, Marc humored me yet again by taking me by the chapel at Vignory. I had been there the last time I was here, but I wanted to see it again, and I wanted to get a better picture of the statue of Joan of Arc inside the church. (Click the picture to see more pics in this series) The church dates back to 1057 and, as you can see from the picture, it's quite pretty. On the inside, there are many statues and things to see. There are even relics, but I'm ashamed to say I don't remember who they're from. I'm looking though, and I will find out.
After the church, we revisited another site that I had seen the last time I was here - Chateau Feodal . I saw the sign for it, and said "What's 'feodal'?"
Marc said, "It's from the time when there were lords, and servants who worked the land, and..."
"FEUDAL?!?"
"Yes, Feudal. You have been to this castle before."
"OOOOOH! Can we go see it again??"
"...mmm, okay."
I don't know if the castle even has a name anymore, but it is a small ruin on a hill. It's interesting to me to realize that this is essentially what Haut-Koenigsbourg would be if someone hadn't stepped in and restored it. The main structure that is left is the tower, but the roof is gone from it. When I was there before, there was a signboard with some information on it showing the archeological remnants, where they are, what part of the castle they once formed, etc. But that has gone now and it's just the tower and a portion of a defensive tower down the hill a bit overlooking the valley below.
I could see into the doors and windows of the tower, and really had to fight to resist the urge to jump the fence and go inside it. If I go there again, I just may take the risk. I can't explain the draw I felt to enter that small, overgrown ruin of a tower, but I feel it even now as I type this.

I did a search online to find out more about the castle, and came up with this section of the diary of a soldier during WWI :

Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1918Shaved and cleaned up. Slept pretty good as had pay in mattress. In P.M. went to Vignory and [went] up on hill west of town to the old castle. Pretty view, though castle had partially fallen to ruin. Only the walls standing. Church in village [was] built in 10th century.

Yet again, the collision with history leaves me speechless.

For dinner, Doc fixed Tartiflette, a very lo-cal (ha!) dish with bacon, potatoes and cheese. ...with a green salad. I had seconds.

TravLog, stardate: 01-06-05

astro clock
Originally uploaded by Epiphany.

Doc has the coolest husband ever. He took me sightseeing today. First we visited Strasbourg, right on the French-German border. We walked around, saw the Cathedral, and had lunch. By the way, if you ever have the choice between Tarte Flambee and Spaetzle, take the tarte. Just a little tip from me to you.
I tried to get a picture that would convey the breathtaking height and detail of the cathedral, but it wouldn't all fit into the viewfinder. But this site has some great pics, and I wish I'd taken this one myself.
Inside the cathedral is an astrological clock that's about 3 stories high. I don't know exactly when it was built, but it's still running, and keeping good time, chiming every fifteen minutes.

Afterwards, we went to Haut-Koenigsbourg, a huge castle dating from about the 12th century. It was beseiged in the 1400s and again in the 1600's and left in ruin until 1900. It's very close to the German border, and at that time belonged to Germany, so Kaiser Wilhelm commissioned an architect to study what remained and rebuild it in the same style. Of course what they ended up with was a castle in a very similar style to the original, but with embellishments befitting a man of his rank and aspirations to power during the early 19-teens in Germany. But it's is still very beautiful, and well-kept,and visitor friendly. From the top tower, you can see for miles all the way around.

TravLog, stardate 01-05-05b

Flav2
Originally uploaded by Epiphany.

I had to alter the photos a little, as it was getting dark as I was taking them. Clicky on the pic-y to see the others.

Flavigny - the little medieval (but still inhabited) village where the film Chocolat was filmed. I didn't know this when we were there, or I would've looked harder for Vianne's chocolate shop! ;)

There is in fact, no chocolate shop there, but the sweet scent of anise was everywhere, and if you've ever eaten these candies, they came from Flavigny.

The real name of the village is Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, and it sits quietly on a hill, seemingly untouched by the modern world. I bet their internet connection is crap, but then again, who cares? The place is lovely. For some history about it, go here, and for more pics (taken by someone else) go here. We wandered around for a bit, conveniently missing anything that might make us realize that Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp had been here. Matthieu was (as always) a doll, just looking around, checking out the world from his stylin' stroller with the clear plastic cover. I have got to get myself one. the stroller. not the baby. relax, mom.

As it got darker and colder, we decided it was time to head on home. Doc fixed a deceptively simple dish called Pasta Carbonara for dinner. Creme, Bacon, Pasta. Three great tastes that taste Grrrrrreat together! yep. I'm definitely spoiled now.

TravLog, stardate: 01-05-05a

Scriptorium
Originally uploaded by Epiphany.

~Part 1: Epiphany finds her happy place~
Today Doc took me and Matthieu (her lovely 8 month old son) touring around Bourgogne. At Michel's recommendation, we went to the museum at Chatillion sur Seine, to see the Vase de Vix (pron.: vahs duh veeks). It's an Etruscan vase, found in a tomb discovered in the 1950's, that dates back to 2500 years ago.

Yes, the sixth century before Christ. Jesus Christ could have seen it in a museum and said "wow. that's old." ...except that it wasn't in a museum then. it was still buried. but that's notmypoint. ...hang on. I need a moment to stuff my BRAIN back into my HEAD.

The Vase is about 5 1/2 feet tall, and maybe 4 feet in diameter. Actually bigger than my apartment. Also discovered in the tomb were the remains of a Celtic princess, and all the swag she was buried with, including a great big golden tiara, some bracelets, dishes, coins, etc. A Celtic princess with Etruscan bling. Very cool.

We went to lunch at a restaurant filled with birds and testosterone. Seriously. There were literally about 8-10 birds I could see from the front door, and a bar, and about 5 men, watching sports. So Me, Doc in all her motherness, and Matthiew in all his babyness installed ourselves in a corner booth. I noticed that the three men at the table next to us shared a look of," Great. Chicks. and a Baby." But about 30 minutes into lunch, one man noticed that he'd not heard a Peep out of the baby, and he looked over at Matthieu, who flashed him a charming smile that said, "what up, dawg?" One cynic down. I ordered the sampler plate of MEAT. Two down, one to go. And I'm not at liberty to say what Doc did to thaw the third cynic, but suffice it to say, it's not something you'd expect from the mother of an 8 month old child who's sitting rightthere! After the men left, it was just the three of us, and the waitress, and then her young daughter came in, and the place was awash in warm girliness. Our job here done, we headed to the next spot on our map - L'Abbaye de Fontenay.

Fontenay Abbey was founded by Saint Bernard in 1118. It's Cistercian, which means that the monks who lived there sought peace and simplicity and seclusion. They felt that all of the rich decoration and sculptures found at Benedictine Abbeys went against the vows of poverty and encouraged pride, one of the deadly sins. Fontenay is... to be honest,...one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. It's set in a valley, isolated from the sounds and interruptions of the modern world. There are fountains on the grounds, so you can hear the water wherever you go. The architecture is early gothic, so there are plenty of arches, but they are all very simple, and dignified. The sense of calm is all around. In the church, there was a recording of monks singing, but it was playing low, so you felt like it was the imprint of those who had gone before, still echoing through the stone walkways.

I headed out to the cloister, which is basically a covered walk around a square garden. The 12th century monks would come here for some quiet reflection and meditation, and shelter from the weather. By this point, Doc and Matthieu had headed off in their own direction, and I was alone with the cloister, and the quiet, the sound of the hills, and the mist of a rain. I sat down on a step, facing the garden, and felt a tear slide down my cheek. I felt a bit of sadness, that I had to come this far to find this place, but mostly I felt relief -- Calm, and Peace, and Rest from the burden of everyday life. Eight hundred years ago the monks felt it, and on a Wednesday in January in 2005 it still filled this valley.

We ended the tour at the gift shop, and in an attempt to take a little of the place home with me, I spent over 65 euros on 'souvenirs.' I got a cd of the monks singing Cistercian songs for Vespers and Complines, a package of illuminated manuscript paper, and a very cool model of the Abbey that I can cut out and put together. We chatted for a while with Mr. Bean's twin at the gift shop, and he confirmed that our next planned stop, the Musee Alesia, was closed for the season, but he did recommend that we visit Flavigny, a small medieval village on the way back to Doc's house.