We drove next, still August 19th, to the old city of Le Puy En Velay, still in Auvergne, famous in Medieval times as one of the major starting points for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostuela. The cathedral is very old, large, Romanesque, and contains a relic, the Virgin's Raiment, which is centrally displayed and still venerated. Maybe we were churched-out at this point, but the town interested us rather more than the cathedral.
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| Lots of volcanic intrusions here, many of them built on... |
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Main feature of Le Puy en Velay, the virgin on the rock thing,
of which we'll see much more |
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Other things on rocks too
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View from the brand new aire de camping-cars; cathedral on
left |
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That's pretty much the story...le Puy en Velay, its cathedral,
that is, is on the World Heritage list because all the Camino
Santiago cathedrals, churches, chapels, wherever some saint
pissed, etc., are on the list; which vastly diminishes the list... |
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What we did like was the interesting mix of architecture and
ambience of the place |
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| Street scene |
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| Thus |
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| 1571; sic transit, Gloria |
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| Le Puy en Velay is the lentil capital of France |
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| With a long history of lentil excellence |
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Another street scene; the place had a distinct Mediterranean
feel to it |
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| Side-street scene |
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Art Nuvo buildings standing right by buildings
from the Renaissance |
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| Mediterranean color |
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| Medieval tower; for rent too |
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Famous fountain on the way to the cathedral
whose name escapes me presently |
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In the lace district, for which Le Puy en Velay is famous; see,
guys can do it too |
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| The new-fangled way, c. 1920 |
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| Pretty place |
