When we arrive at the restaurant, the metal shutters are all drawn shut. We double check the hours that are posted beside the door. Yep, it's supposed to be open. So I start googling the date in my phone. Today is apparently "Whitsunday," a Christian holiday also known as Pentecost. Colin reads aloud from his phone that on this bank holiday, people often go to church and/or gather with their families to feast.
We look across the street from the restaurant, and notice that the Bar is open and fairly packed. Well, to each his own "church." ;) We are a little peckish, so after confirming with the Royal Society of Chemistry that beer is indeed a food, we decide on a liquid lunch on the bar's patio. We order beer from the same lip-ringed waitress that was working on our last visit (perhaps she is the titular Elyna??), and ask if there are perchance any snacks for sale at the Bar. She advises us that there is only dried sausage. We instead opt for the sesame snacks stashed in our backpacks (never leave home without them!).
Three or four young guys with identical lip studs sit around playing on their cell phones, and two middle-aged gentlemen share a carafe of wine (I swear, I am not just copying my blog text from our last visit! I guess this is the typical "bar crowd" in Chamelet). When one of the studded young men emerges from the bar with some kind of pita wrap, one of the older men voices what I'm sure everyone was thinking: "Where did you get THAT?!" The answer is unclear, but has something to do with Lyon, dashing our hopes of getting something similar for ourselves. We openly admire a beautiful sky blue 1974 Citroën DS parked beside the bar (not shown in photo). Colin had recently read about how it had been named #3 "Car of the Century." Then, one of the older gentlemen gets up, and with a big proud smile on his face, climbs into the Citroën and drives off.
After, um, "lunch," we decide to go up to the town's church. We reason that if people actually go to church on Whitsunday, as the internet advised us they do, then the church will be unlocked and there would perhaps be some kind of service. We are half-right.
We learn from a sign that this church was based on a 11th Century chapel, which stood at this spot, and served the adjacent Chateau. Around 1900, the church was built to look as it does today. However, there are still some of the ancient features preserved inside, such as stained glass windows from the 15th Century and statues ranging from 15th-19th centuries. Although there are only two features in the church specifically labelled as 15th Century, it is very easy to tell which items are older than the others, based on the styles and colors.
We try to visit the adjacent Chateau (fortified guard tower), but the path is barred and locked. A different sign tells us that Chamelet was a "strategic stronghold" for the area since the 10th Century, when local lords fought over the domain. Many of these lords are apparently buried in the centre of the church we just visited.
After the church, we decide to try another of Chamelet's historic venues: the cemetery. Due to its location on the side of the hill, we had only just recently realized the cemetery existed.
To get to the cemetery from the church, we walk down Rue de la Republique, and through Les Halles. Even though we have walked through Les Halles tons of times before, this is the first time we stop to read its history. According to the sign, it is the only covered market of its kind left in Rhone. The first written reference to these Halles was in 1575, so they have existed here at least that long. I can't help but laugh when I read: "On Pentecostal Sunday and Monday, the paupers of the parish were feasted here by some of the local fraternities." What perfect timing to be here!! But when I look around... ;)
From Les Halles, we follow the signage as if to return to our gite, and end up behind town, as usual. However, to get to the cemetery, we must walk through the parking lot (where Colin is standing in the photo below) instead of walking up the hill (far left in photo below). The road running through the parking lot, called "Ancienne Route de Lyon," heads due South, directly to the cemetery, and beyond that, surprisingly joins back up with the Highway D385, maybe 750m South of Chamelet. We only encounter one car, which was fortunately travelling fairly slowly.
There is a walking path on the left side of the cemetery that would shortcut back up to Les Blanshines (almost up to Le Cret); however, since we didn't wear protective leg gear today, we decide to backtrack on the road to the parking lot, and take the left fork in the road up to Le Cret.
At the top, we meet an adorable new friend, who is happy to get pets and snacks.
As we approach the gite, the driveway is packed with cars! It appears that our host Alban has many guests over, who are snacking and talking in the front yard. Finally! At least *someone* is "gathering with family" on Whitsunday! We wave "Bonjour!" and head in to our gite.
Since my friend Alex will be soon arriving to visit us for a few days, Colin makes a big batch of cassoulet. Of course, we have to sample it, to make sure it turned out ok, before we can serve it to guests... It's delicious. :D
Does beer have barley in it? That would be your 'grains' for the day.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to see a cemetery with no grass, just crypts on solid rock/pavement. I expect in years gone by, no one actually planted grass just to mow it.
There is an interesting article in the local paper that says that for much of the year, the French government has been attempting to recognize the veterans who've helped with the liberation of the country more than 70 years ago (WWII). A Port Moody resident has offered to help local veterans apply to receive the French National Order of the Legion of Honour (which serves as the equivalent of the Order of Canada. So far about 600 veterans across Canada have received the honour.
Seeing as many of the vets are in their 80s and 90s, better lated than never.
I was thinking of you while examining the gravestones in the cemetery... I guess you will be doing that in England pretty soon!
DeleteThat little donkey was so very cute!
ReplyDeleteOmg he is soooooo sweet. We walked by him again today, but he wouldn't come over to the fence. He gave us the once over, then went back to eating grass. I guess he is no longer impressed with the grass from our side of the fence. ;) We have to take him some carrots or something... It worked with the cat. We bought a bag of cat treats, and now the cat basically lives pressed up against our front door.
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