Well, this was one of those pleasant surprises that you just don’t come across that often. After visiting the church in Vesly, I wanted to find the Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Consolation but was disappointed when I couldn’t find any signs in town leading me there. I ended up driving in the wrong direction and found myself in Gerville-la-Forêt where I came across another church called Église Saint-Pair (which happened to be closed). Fortunately, there was a large map posted just in front of the church that gave directions to the chapel. So, I drove back into Vesly and found it without any further problems. It is nestled at the highest part of the town at the top of a path leading to the parsonage, past the local soccer field in amongst a small copse of trees. The chapel has been restored several times over the centuries. Information in a variety of languages can be found inside but there is very little information about the history of this chapel online. I’ll reprint what I found here: In the 13th century, a gentleman was riding in the vicinity of the place where the chapel is now standing. Suddenly, he came across a boar which rushed at the horse. The horse bolted and knocked the knight down. Unfortunately, one of the knight’s feet got stuck in the stirrup and he was dragged by the bolting horse. When he was about to die, the gentleman promised the Blessed Virgin that he would build a chapel at the very place where his life would be spared. His foot being released, the gentleman soon set about fulfilling his vow. He dedicated the chapel he built to Our Lady of the Stirrup (Notre-Dame de l'Étrier) or of the Saddle (Notre-Dame de la Selle). Such is the origin, according to legend, of the Vesly Chapel. As for its cloister, in the 14th and 15th centuries, it was used as the burial place for the local gentry. Over the years, many old sarcophagi have been found here during archaeological digs. In 1650, Father John Eudes, preaching a mission in Vesly, found the chapel nearly in ruins. It was a long time since Mass had been said. The missionary announced a procession to the chapel on Easter Tuesday. The parishioners of Vesly and of the neighbourhood responded to the appeal. Father Eudes then felt a desire to restore the chapel of the Blessed Virgin during his stay in Vesly. This task was undertaken so eagerly that the missionary was able to say Mass in the newly restored chapel at the end of his mission. Seeing this achievement as a good sign from the Blessed Virgin that his mission was a success, Father Eudes then dedicated the chapel to Our Lady of Consolation which is now its name. The interior has eight statues: Sainte-Jeanne d'Arc and Saint-Jean Eudes Sainte-Marie-Madeleine Postel Notre-Dame de l’Huis Ouvert Saint-Antoine de Padoue Sainte-Thérèse de l’Enfant-Jésus Notre-Dame de la Consolation Saint-Ortaire

The windows are of note also for being from the workshop of famous glass maker Mauméjean. The first one depicts Saint-Joseph carrying the infant Jesus. The second one depicts the apparition of the Virgin to Ste-Catherine Labouré in the chapel at the convent at Rue du Bac in Paris. The third one depicts the apparition of the Virgin to the knight who built the chapel in Vesly. The fourth one depicts the Virgin blessing the mission of Father John Eudes to Vesly. The fifth depicts the Virgin appearing to children in Pontmain. The sixth window depicts the apparition of the Immaculate Conception to Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes.

Well, it was getting rather late and after visiting Caudebec-en-Caux, we still needed to visit the Abbaye de Saint-Wandrille de Fontenelle. It is a living, working community of monks and so the buildings are not open to visitors unless you take a guided tour. Although the visitor’s center was still open, the guided tours were finished for the day. The rest of the property is open to the public and this includes some spectacular ruins that date as far back as 649 when the first community of monks moved to this area. The history of the monastery has not been at all lucky. Besides the chief basilica Saint-Wandrille built seven other churches or oratories both inside and outside the monastic enclosure. All of these have either perished in the course of time, or were replaced by others at a later date. The first church was burned down 756. In 852 it was raided by Vikings and once again burned to the ground. After another restoration in 966, the abbey was destroyed by lightning in 1012. After two hundred years, it burned down again in 1250. In 1631 the central tower of the church suddenly fell, ruining all the adjacent parts, but fortunately without injuring the beautiful cloisters or the conventual buildings. During the French Revolution in 1791 Fontenelle was suppressed, and in the following year the property was sold by auction. The church was partially demolished, but the rest of the buildings served for some time as a factory. Monks came back to the area in 1898 but were expelled to Belgium in 1901. The present community of monks have been here since 1931 but once again they fell on hard times when the Germans plundered the monastery in 1940. In 1969, a tithe barn from the 13th and 15th centuries from the hamlet of Canteloup à La Neuville-du-Bosc was transferred within the walls of the monastery by the monks themselves and rebuilt to become the new Abbey Church.  The wood beams are bare inside and there is very little light.  Next to the main doorway is a restored mise au tombeau from 1506. There is also a small, charming chapel by the monks' cemetery that is open to the public called Chapelle Notre-Dame de Caillouville-la-Neuve. Within the town as well as the abbey property are some beautiful timber framed buildings.  Just down the street is a very nice gift shop. There are products from several different monastic communities available. I purchased some beautiful Christmas cards to use next December. Near the famous abbey is the parish church which was established around 735 with materials from the Roman ruins in Lillebonne. The building was destroyed during the Norman invasions, but rebuilt in wood and stone in the eleventh century. It has a rather sombre interior with walls lined with numerous statues from different centuries.

After leaving Laval, we headed to our final destination for the day, Évron but stopped just long enough in La Chapelle- Rainsouin to see the interior of l'église Saint-Sixte which is famous for its two funeral stones as well as a unique Entombment scene.   One of the most interesting things about this church is the vaulted, wooden "reversed keel" ceiling that covers the nave.  This beautiful carpentry work was probably established in 1506 and only repaired in 1842.  On the right after entering is a narrow splayed window which indicates that the original walls of the church were Romanesque in design but it is now thought that most of the masonry actually dates from the end of the Middle Ages.  Another interesting feature along the walls upon entering are the 17th century “litre funéraire” or black funeral bands painted to honor the deceased lords of La Chapelle-Rainsouin known as the Le Prestre from the 17th century.  On either side of the main altar are statues dedicated to Sainte-Anne and Saint-Sébastien.  The altarpiece is a beautiful piece of classical architecture with alternating columns of red and black marble framing a painting depicting the Descent from the Cross.  Three statues round off the decor:  at the top, Saint-Sixtus; on the left, Saint-Mammès with a lion; and on the right, Saint-Peter.  Above two of the statues are the arms of the family Le Prestre.  The entire ensemble was executed in 1701 by François Trouillard, architect and sculptor from Château-Gontier, who pledged to deliver it within a period of one year along with three statues "gilded and detailed for the price of 1100 livres."  Within the north chapel named "Montfronchet" are two carved stones that once covered the tombs of the founders of the chapel.  They were set against the wall in 1821 and have been identified as Olivier de La Chapelle and Arthuse de Melun and were most likely created between 1508 and 1526.  Alone in the back of the church, within a small room locked with an iron gate, is a set of statues known as the Entombment, or Burial of Christ. The scene is composed of seven characters which surround Christ lying in his shroud.  The two statues on either end represent Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.  In the background are the three holy women, the Virgin and Saint John.   These statues were executed in 1522 by someone named Gnothus and ordered by Arthuse de Melun.  One stained glass window along the southern wall depicts Saint Charles Borromeo blessing the people of Milan during an outbreak of the plague in 1576.  Above the western portal is a beautiful stained glass window commemorating the seventh and eighth crusades of Saint-Louis IX.

He is risen !  Happy Easter, everyone ! Some photos of my Easter decorations.

I was in Bricquebec last Friday and Saturday for the Week-end sur l'Esprit Saint, part of the Parcours Alpha of which I belong.