The parish close (enclos paroissial) is the most typical monumental grouping in Breton communities. The center of the close was the cemetery which was very small with gravestones of uniform size. Today this is tending to disappear. Around the cemetery, which is often reached through a triumphal arch, are grouped the church with its small square (placître), the Calvary and the ossuary or charnel house. The spiritual life of the parish therefore is closely linked with the community of the dead. The entrance to a cemetery is often ornamented with a monumental gateway. This is treated as a triumphal arch to symbolize the accession of the Just to immortality. At Lampaul-Guimiliau, the parish close is entered through the triumphal arch (1699) surmounted by three crosses as well as the statues of the Virgin Mary and Saint John. In the tiny Breton cemeteries of olden days, bodies had to be exhumed to make room for new dead. The bones were piled in small shelters with ventilation openings, built against the church or cemetery wall. The skulls were placed there separately in special "skull caskets". Then these charnel houses became separate buildings, larger and more carefully built and finally reliquaries, which could be used as funerary chapels. At Lampaul-Guimiliau the funerary chapel, a former ossuary (1667), abuts on the triumphal arch and has buttresses crowned with small lantern turrets. Formerly it also housed a notable tableau of the Entombment of Christ, which has now been moved into the church itself. Calvary is the name of the hill, also known as Golgotha, where Christ was crucified; its name was inspired by its skull-like shape (Skull; calvaria in Latin). Breton Calvaries representing scenes from the Passion and the Crucifixion are not to be confused with wayside crosses often erected at crossroads or near churches to mark the site of a pilgrimage procession. The unique Breton monuments illustrate episodes of the Passion, represented around Christ on the Cross. Many of them were built to ward off, as in 1598, a plague epidemic, or to give thanks after it ended. The priest preached from the dais, pointing out with a wand the scenes which he described to his congregation. The sculpture is usually rough and naïve—the work of a village stonemason—but it shows a great deal of observation and is often strikingly lifelike and expressive. Many figures, notably soldiers, wear the costumes of the 16th and 17th centuries. The Calvary at Lampaul-Guimiliau is the oldest in the parish close from the 15th century and features the Crucifixion on one side and the Descent from the Cross on the other. The church is dominated by a bell tower, constructed from 1573, and was originally one of the highest in Finistère. However it was truncated by fire following a lightning strike in 1809. Under a gable of the porch is a statue of Saint Michael defeating the Dragon. The porch itself dates from 1533 and like many other churches in the area displays the twelve Apostles. Inside, a 16th century rood beam spans the nave, bearing a crucifix between statues of the Virgin and Saint John. Both sides of the rood beam are adorned painted reliefs representing on the nave side, scenes from the Passion and, on the chancel side, the twelve Sibyls separated by a group of the Annunciation. There are several altarpieces throughout the church including this one of Saint John the Baptist. The baptistery is one of the most striking among the parish closes. It is an octagonal Baroque concoction, dating from about 1650. Unlike most of its kind, it is elaborately polychrome, with highly-elaborate pillars and finely-modelled representation of the baptism of Christ. This is the organ and it dates from the 17th century.  One of the most touching sculptures inside the church is that of the Deposition or Descent from the Cross (15th or 16th century). The Entombment tableau from 1676, by Antoine Chavagnac, shows Christ attended by Joseph of Arimathea, Salome, Mary Magdalene, the Virgin Mary supported by St John the Apostle, and Mary the Mother of James. The figures used to be in the funeral chapel next to the triumphal arch.

The town of Landivisiau wasn’t very interesting nor was it a part of my tour except as a place for me to stop and find a restroom. Of note however was the parish church, l'église Saint-Thuriau which was built in the 1860s and replaces a church that was on the same site dating from 1554. The church still retains its south porch and tower from the 16th century. The building is quite interesting for its statues in the south porch of the twelve apostles (1554 – 1565) carved in a special granite from the region known as kersantite. Some of the statues carved alongside the columns depict local saints as well as the images of Adam and Eve as they eat from the Tree of Knowledge.

A few weeks ago I took a hike near the small town of Colomby near Valognes. After reading the alluring description online, I ended up walking over ten kilometres along mostly muddy pathways and farmers’ roads. Although the walk was rather short, it was not as delightful as the website hinted. Nonetheless, I had a wonderful time and would definitely encourage people to do this hike—although I would add that it should be done only when there hasn’t been any rain. The trails are enlivened by protective hedges that separate fields and forests, small winding streams and several stops amidst small villages with stone farmhouses. The name of the circuit is “Cul de Fer” which could either be translated as railway line or ass of fire—there is no hint of either along the route. One of the first remarkable spots along the circuit was the Église-Saint-George in Colomby. It is from the 13 and 14 centuries and is purely Gothic in style. Sadly, it was closed the afternoon I was there and couldn’t see the interior. Right beside it is the town hall. Before leaving town, I stopped to admire a huge stone farmhouse called the Varangerie. There are lots of buildings like this in the area. La Conseillère is just another one of those amazing stone farms along the route. It is reached through an imposing gate but something told me that I shouldn’t go much further than that. It seemed like it was a private property so I didn’t stray very far from the marked path. To be quite honest, it wasn’t so much a path as it was ankle deep mud. Perhaps I should have turned around and gone back to my car but something told me that this part of the route would only get better. It didn’t. There was a lot more mud to get through—much of the time I was trying to walk around it by going through fields or walking higher along the hedgerows. It wasn’t easy and my hiking shoes became caked in mud. Still, there were some very nice views of the countryside and the many countless, wild primevère in bloom to admire. This is le manoir des Perques, a beautiful stone house with a massive turret. At one time it was believed that his house was a keep along what used to be a busy road. After more hills and even more mud, I eventually came to the small village of Boudosville which is remarkable for its grouping of stone buildings like this one. It was here I met a group of friendly cows who were curious as to what I was doing on their property. The small village of Boudosville is marked by a crucifix surrounded with daffodils and a few picnic benches where hikers like me could take a little break. Nearby are the old lime kilns (fours à chaux) which produced the mortar used in building houses in the nearby area. The end of the hike brings you back into Colomby and offers stunning views of the church from a great distance.

Sunday was my last day in Haute Normandie and I still had a few places I needed to visit.  Fortunately, there wasn't any fog and I was able to get some nice photos of our chamber d’hôte Au temps des cerises which was surrouned by orchards of fruit trees in blossom.  Like many buildings in the region, it was an old timber framed barn at one time.  Our first stop this moring was the Abbaye de Jumièges, one of the most impressive ruins in France. In the 10th century, Duke William Longsword rebuilt Jumièges on the ruins of the former abbey founded in the 7th century by Saint Philibert and destroyed by the Vikings. It was renowned especially for its charity to the poor, being popularly called "Jumièges l'Aumônier". Enjoying the patronage of the dukes of Normandy, the abbey became a great center of religion and learning, its schools producing, amongst many other scholars, the national historian, William of Jumièges. The large abbey was consecrated in 1067 in the presence of William the Conqueror. The last monks dispersed at the Revolution and in 1793 it was bought at a public auction by a timber merchant who intended to turn Jumièges into a stone quarry and used explosives to bring down the lantern in the church. A new proprietor in 1852 set about saving the ruins and in 1946 the complex was purchased by the State. Like many religious monuments, the abbey has been subjected to a great many modifications and reconstructions. Having become “the most beautiful ruin in France” according to many 19th century authors, it today offers us an interesting lesson in architecture. One enters the property through the 14th century gatehouse. The interior presents beautiful Gothic architecture with sculpted keystones. Looking up, one can see on one of them--the medieval green man mask. Today, the building houses a reception room, exhibition hall as well as the souvenir shop. The Notre-Dame Abbey Church is the main church of the abbey. It hosted members of the religious order and the laity during the major religious festivals. An exceptional example of 11th century Normandy Romanesque art, it is built on a particularly grand scale; the two towers are 46 meters high, the nave 25 meters high. The façade is remarkable for its austerity. It is a rare example of a projecting structure between two towers. The nave is visible as soon as you enter and is quite spectacular to look at with its white walls divided into three different levels: arcades, triple openings and tall windows. The Romanesque capital with the bird in the transept is from the 11th century and has two sides. It is fitted tightly into pillar which was added later and is recognizable by its original ochre color. Not much remains of the choir which was rebuilt in the 13th century. It is the part of the church where the clergy stood and where services were held. Of the seven radiating chapels arranged around the choir, only one is conserved. This portion of the site is known as the Saint Pierre Church. It is here that one can see the oldest vestiges of the abbey such as the series of six medallions surmounted by small gemel windows and a half-length portrait of a man. These decorations are the only traces of the monastery that was destroyed by the Vikings in the 9th century. The cloister was used for walking and meditation. It has lost its gallery passageway and its Renaissance decoration from 1530. The refectory which closed off one of the sides of the cloister has been entirely destroyed. The former hospice, converted into a storeroom, was given an upper floor in the 17th century to house the library. Within the park surrounding the abbey are other structures and buildings. The abbot’s residence was built around 1675. Near its main gate are two large outbuildings which haven’t changed since they were built. The interior of the abbot’s lodging serves as a museum for the collection of sculptures which came from the abbey including busts from statues, reclining figures, old capitals and keystones. The gardens surrounding the abbey offer some wonderful strolls among remarkable tree and plant specimens as well as amazing views of the abbey itself from the main terrace where several works by contemporary artists are on display in an open air exhibition. My favorite was this piece by Shigeko Hirakawa entitled Mandala oublié - Labyrinthe de meditation. Nearby is the former bakery which still stands at the far end of the park and is today used for exhibitions.

From one castle to the next... Les Andelys lies in one of the loveliest settings along the Seine and is dominated by the impressive ruins of Château-Gaillard which overlooks the valley. Carefully following the walking tour map from the tourist office, I began my visit along the Seine. Les Andelys has had several bridges and this one, a suspension bridge, is the most recent. It was built in 1948 and replaces the bridge that was blown up in 1940 by resistance fighters to delay the advance of the German army. The town is actually made up of two communes, le Petit Andely and le Grand Andely. I didn’t make it to the latter but a stroll along the Seine offers a great selection of charming, old timber frame houses that seem as if they’ve not changed for centuries. This one in particular is called La Chaîne d’Or which used to shelter the offices where taxes were collected from the riverboats that passed through the town. This source of income was enforced through the use of a large chain running across the Seine that stopped any boats. This is the Hôpital St-Jacques and during the 13th century it was a stopping place for pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela. In 1785 the present building was erected and it now serves as a day hospital and senior citizens home. In the Middle Ages, the Gambon river ran through le Grand and le Petit Andely and provided the raw power for several mills in the area. During violent storms or when the snow was melting, the flow of the Gambon increased and often overflowed its banks destroying everything in its path. In the 17th century, King Louis XIV ordered that a dam be built and the residents to build a canal. This canal called le Grand Rang (more like a fast flowing stream), is now the main waterway running through the town. In the center of the town is the Saint-Sauveur Church. It was started in 1220 and ended a hundred years later. Unfortunately, it was closed during lunchtime and of course, that is when I wanted to visit. I’m sure the interior is something to see but all I could admire were the flying buttresses framing the upper windows, the slate spire and the wooden porch supported by a stone base on the western side dating from the 15th century. The most impressive attraction that Les Andelys offers is the Château-Gaillard, erected in record time between 1196 and 1198 by Richard the Lionheart, King of England and Duke of Normandy, in order to protect Normandy from the ambitions of the king of France, Philip II Augustus. It had a reputation of being an impregnable fortress; nevertheless it fell into the French king’s hands in 1204 after a seven month siege. To throw out brigands and thieves who were living here in later years, Henri IV and later Louis XIII organized the dismantling of the castle. Richelieu had it torn down stone by stone until it was only a third of its original height. Much of the outer curtain wall is no longer standing but there are still quite a few towers and casemates to be seen. In any direction from nearly every corner of the château are countless spectacular views over the Seine and the valley below. Since I didn’t have time to walk around the part of town called le Grand Andely, I drove there in order to quickly visit the Collégiale Notre-Dame des Andelys which was built in 1225 on the ruins of an abbey founded in 511 by Ste-Clotilde, wife of Clovis I. Construction and improvements continued until the late 17th century, and major restorations were carried out in 1860. The façade is of the 13th century and the tympanum features stories from the life of the Virgin. The north gate was built during the time of King Henry II in Renaissance style. It once had a central tower and spire but these were destroyed during World War II and were never rebuilt. The stained glass windows are exceptional and were executed largely by master glassmakers of the 15th century. The windows of the south aisle are dated 1540 and those at the top of the nave from 1560. The beautifully carved organ case is from 1573 and depicts biblical scenes, as well as mythological imagery. Inside the transept and one of the side chapels are two paintings from 1612 by Quentin Varin—this one is called the Martyrdom of Saint Clair. In the south aisle below the tower is a 16th century set of statues depicting the Entombment.