Le Puy En Velay

Monday 21st September

Le Puy en Velay

Just when you think it can’t be any more spectacular or beautiful, you are proved wrong. Le Puy is a lovely, beautiful, and picturesque town in the Massif Central, France. Another pilgrimage starting point – we are beginning to think there may be some surreptitious, subliminal religious agenda ....

Nevertheless, the cathedral houses a Black Virgin, no one knows the origin, but she is very important to the town. Also, a Fever Stone - a massive block of stone said to have healing qualities - I touched it with left and right hands, but think I should have rolled around on it to feel really good -

There is a massive statue of the Notre Dame de France built from melted down Crimean War cannons, seized from whoever the French had defeated, erected on top of a very high rock. There were hundreds of steps to reach it, but the trek was worth the effort. The view of Le Puy is spectacular, and you have to marvel at the perseverance of the people who built it, carrying the tonnes of cast iron up the hill during construction. We climbed up inside the statue, more steps again, these thighs will be rock hard by we time we get back, not only glimpsing lovely vistas from the folds of the cloak, but reading interesting graffiti (eg Hanson Forever) and trying to overcome our fear of heights.

From the statue you can see another incredible structure, Chapelle St Michel D’Aighuile, which is situated on top of an extinct volcano. So we set off to have a closer look. There were hundreds of steps, of course. The chapel was built in the 10th century, and was a calm and peaceful haven – and was actually worth the trudge up the stairs. There were ancient frescoes on the walls and ceiling and Mass is still celebrated there each week.

We staggered down the thousands of steps and made our way back to the hotel for a lovely dinner of local produce, including lentils and pork and purple mashed potatoes. Michael and Dick enjoyed the local tipple, Verveine – a bright green fire water. We were all thrilled to see the distillery in the town when we went for our post dinner walk.

Some observations about France:
• School students don’t wear uniforms and all look very chic

French shop assistants are more important than the customer, and the customer should be grateful for any acknowledgment whatsoever, including a sneer
• If there is an inaccessibly high point in the town, they will build a religious monument on it
• The religious monument will be staggeringly beautiful and you will be amazed by the ingenuity and madness of the creators
• French pedestrians have right of way when crossing roads, but not tourists
• Red and green traffic lights seem to be suggestions only
• There is a lot going on behind high stone walls in France – factories, apartments, schools, gardens, life
• Petrol stations are rare
• Between 12 and 3 (sometimes 4) the whole country stops. Nothing is open, including automated petrol stations
• Baguettes are a way of life
• Nothing is worth looking at unless there are at least 50 steps leading to it