When you have a forced stoppage you do things you probably wouldn't do in normal circumstances. Being unable to navigate we became Châlon-en-Champagne ambassadors doing all the sites. We visited the Musée du Cloître de Notre Dame en Vaux, a cloister museum. Yes I know what you're thinking, have they lost the plot or they definitely have too much time on their hands. Well I agree, partially. Being limited to walking we did what was available and local. We heard about this museum and thought let's give it a few minutes then a coffee. What a surprise, it was fascinating. Basically a 13 century cloister of fantastic quality had been literally smashed apart in the 1700's next to Notre Dame en Vaux to build a new presbytery for the resident priest. They used the deliberately broken cloister columns, arches and other pieces as foundations. Jump to the 1970's the presbytery was unused and partially derelict. Upon demolition large sections and fragments of the cloisters were found. Careful demolition, excavation and conservation took place and a substantial part of the cloisters were found and jigsawed back together.
Christ washing the disciples' feet.
What is amazing is the quality of the carvings depicting scenes from the Bible. I also feel that the fact they had been buried, entombed in walls they have been in effect 'preserved' and kept protected from the ravages of pollution, wars and general handling by human. They are in better condition than they would have been. Biblical scenes are just like they were carved in the last few years.
A section of rebuilt cloister.
Cloisters aside Châlon-en-Champagne has been good. It's a very pretty mooring close to the city centre surrounded by Le Jard, a series of parks with good walks and features crisscrossed by waterways. What also made it fun was the number of bargees and other boat owners waiting for the Canal enter Champagne et Bourgogne to open after the winters renovations. It's the last real mooring before the split to go south to the Mediterranean or east to Strasbourg, as in our case.
Soraya about to set off from Le Jard in Châlon-en-Champagne.
My arm has recovered enough now to start some easy navigation, so Metz, Nancy and Strasbourg here we come.
2 comments:
Hooray! Good to hear you are on the move again. But what champions you are for the motto "Carpe Diem", Your report made me hope that the historic temples in Palmyra that have been desecrated by ISIS will one day be pieced together again.
Bon Voyage now, remember the old shouts in 20th century America? ...."Go South young man"!!!!
Anne W
I agree, it's so cold at the moment. You wouldn't like it! xx
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