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.