Bourges Carnival

We got to Borges early in the afternoon July 3rd, checked into our motel, and began the mile walk to our favorite cathedral. We did not know our stroll to Bourges' St. Etienne Cathedral would take us through the city's summer carnival. If you've ever wondered what a French carnival is like (sure you have), here are a few pix for your edification...

Worst croque monsieur ever...

Wow, just like the Leon County fair in Tallahassee in 1967...

We found this ride fascinating...the cabin, seating eight, is at the
top; the thing does numerous 360s, relative high speed, the cabin
itself rotating upside/down, inside/out, etc. 

Back at the top; sometimes it stops there, hesitates, and then
back-tracks the other way...

Empty seats, too; or maybe they bailed out

Never miss a glider

Among the many other rides

Symbolism lost on us

Our Lady Of Gargilesse: Crypt Frescoes

The crypt in this church, unusually large, was the knock-out, covered as it was with frescoes said to be 13th century. Maybe earlier, I thought. Interestingly, these paintings were very reminiscent to us of some we saw just across the Pyrenees, in Spain, those of the Boi Valley. (2nd Boi Valley post here). In Spain, these paintings were thought to be of sufficient importance as to get their own hall in the national Catalonian museum in Barcelona...

Steps leading to the crypt

Apart from a large hall, the crypt had three small chapels at its
east end; this is the port one

And this the starboard

Remains of a crucifixion scene

Extreme flossing; see Revelation 19:15; over the central chapel;
a depiction we've seen but rarely

Central chapel, with Madonna sculpture said to have been brought
from the Holy Land

Closer up

Still closer up

Ditto

We three kings of Orient are; and cart before horses

Resurrection cheers

Smiting the beast

Main hall

Expulsion; and time for us to head on to Bourges...

Our Lady Of Gargilesse: Capitals

The church at Gargilesse-Dampierre has some 120 sculptures on its capitals, plus some other interior features of interest. The building itself is clearly 12th century or so, with some of the arches apparently re-worked into a Gothic pointy look. Sculpture and tombs in urban churches were largely defaced or destroyed in the Wars of Religion and Revolution. In these rural churches, however, much remains intact.

East end

West; apparently never completed; or, a subsequent reno was
never completed

Interior, all limestone

Not everything on view...

Up close of the pantokrator in mandorla, over the
altar; something one doesn't see in Gothic churches
(very Byzantine)

And now, just the merest sampling of the many 

capitals

Among which are kings, prophets, other Biblical
scenes

And the usual Romanesque weird things, maybe even a Green
Man?

Flight?

The figure at the left...Mary, noticing she's pregnant with the
Messiah? 

The only burial monument in the church

Guillaume de Naillac, knight and seigneur of Gargilesse, took part
in the Crusades, died 7 November, 1266 (my French is improving)

Gargilesse-Dampierre

Our last beau village, July 3rd, was Gargilesse-Dampierre, and it was one of the best: setting, village age, beauty, and history, literary connections, and especially its parish church, which will take two posts to present. It had some of the best Romanesque capitals in this part of France (Berry), its crypt frescoes were truly stunning. But first, a bit of the town...

Winding our way up to Gargiless-Dampierre

Have to like a town that embeds flower pots in its ancient walls

The old chateau

The church, which was of greatest interest to us

Town scene

Solidarity with the people of Ukraine out here,
too--we've seen such signs all over France

Overview

Gargilesse is most famous for being the sometime residence of
George Sand (Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin), one of the 19th
century's most respected and prolific writers...now seemingly
unknown to English readers

An old dovecote in one of the towers

Yard sale just out of town

Drivin'