A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. CONFUCIUS

Monday 31 October 2011

Le Puy-En-Velay (2)

A pretty corner of Le Puy.

Trust the civilised French to have civilised dogs! I thought this was rather sweet, and would have entered out of curiosity, but I felt embarrassed without a canine companion.

A fountain in the centre of the square next to the Préfecture.

The cathedral and the Virgin on the rock.

The cathedral just before the sun came out from behind a dark cloud.

Le Puy from the Virgin on the rock.

Le Puy's new town.

I climbed a spiral staircase, then a ladder, inside the hollow, bronze figure of the Virgin, and stared out through her eyes. Bizarre!

A cross overlooking Le Puy's new town.

As I stood next to the Virgin, the sun suddenly emerged from behind a black cloud, and the unmistakeable shape of a coquille Saint-Jacques fanned out towards me across the heavens.

13 comments:

Friko said...

This is the end? For now?

May all your prayers bear fruit.


PS: just as well you didn't visit the canine toilets, after a long pilgrimage would you have been able to dance amongst the steaming little heaps?

The Solitary Walker said...

Not quite the end, Friko.

On est toujours dans la merde - en même temps que l'on est dans le Paradis...

Ruth said...

I quite like that your cloud-sun-coquille epiphany occurred at that strange pinnacle, at the near-end of your pilgrimage!

The Solitary Walker said...

It's the absolute truth, Ruth! It was quite amazing, that last evening. A little group of us waited and waited. The sun stopped sinking. Time stopped still. Then, all of a sudden, epiphany.

The Weaver of Grass said...

How do the French get dogs to pee to order I wonder.

Love that last sky picture.

The Solitary Walker said...

Love your comment, Pat! I never investigated closely enough to discover the Auvergne dog training technique. However, the streets of Le Puy were remarkably pee-free, so someone, somehow, must be doing something right.

George said...

I'm also amazed that this amazing cloud formation—so symbolic of an epiphany—occured at the very end of your camino. Love your response to Friko's comments. C'est vrai!

Susan Scheid said...

Lovely photos--though I can't help but think the WC canin is wishful thinking!

The Solitary Walker said...

That was cloud 9, George, that evening! Unfortunately one has to return to a more normal cloud 3 or 4 in order to cope with the ordinary world.

Thanks, Susan. Bow-wow!

Grace said...

Hmmm, just looking at a map here and it seems like Le Puy isn't too far from Lyon, which will be my home-base when I go to France, so I will have to include it in my travel plans!

The Solitary Walker said...

Lyon is a great city, Grace. You will like it. And do visit Le Puy - not too far by train, and it's a very scenic journey.

MermaidLilli said...

I have enjoyed your trip through your words and your eyes. So wonderful it was. Thanks for sharing. Now, I must plan mine.
That cloud formation .... I think I heard bells.

The Solitary Walker said...

Thanks for your comment, MermaidLilli! Will be following your trip...