Hérault (34) and Aude (11)

The Hérault river forms a narrow gorge. Very romantic. The trail runs next to the road to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. This photo is taken from the bridge over the river on an early evening. From here to St. Guilhem is just about an hour walk.

The "Abbey of Gellone" in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert was founded 806 by Saint William of Gellone, known in France as Guillaume d'Aquitaine or Guillaume au Court Nez (William Short Nose). William, born 754 in Autun was a grandson of Charles Martel, and so a cousin of Charlemagne, who made him his paladin. As a commander William took part in numerous wars and battles against the Maurs in Spain and Southern France and from 790 on, he was "Count of Toulouse" and "Duke of Aquitaine". 804, he withdrew from "public life" and joined the monastry, Bernard of Aniane had founded in Aniane. Two years later, he left Aniane and founded with Bernard´s support the Abbey of Gellone in what is the village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert today. Charlemagne presented his cousin a piece of the True Cross for the Abbey of Gellone. William died in 812. His tomb and the piece of the True Cross, shown in the abbey, made this place to a major stop for the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella.

The distance between the abbey in Aniane and the abbey in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert may only be about 8kms, but you have to cross the Hérault river. So this bridge was constructed probably in the first half the 11th century, making this bridge to one of the oldest medieval bridges in France. It is an architectural masterpiece, and -not surprisingly- a legend grew, that this could only be done with the support of the devil. This bridge, that was in "full use" upto a new bridge was built in 1932, shares this legend with many other devil´s - bridges worldwide.

The cloister of the abbey - or maybe better, what is left of it. At the end of the medieval times, the community was not in a really good shape. In 1569, during the wars of religion, protestant troops pillaged the abbey, that later was the property of the "Congregation of St. Maur". 1789, during the French Revolution, only six monks lived here. They had to leave, as the buildings were sold as national property. The church became parish church at that time. Small enterprises moved in, most of the buildings were used as a quarry. Half of the cloister "vanished", only two sides are still there. A citizen of Aniane bought the carved capitals of the cloister for his garden. When he died, his son sold them to an art-dealer in Paris. In the end, most of these carvings were sold to New York, where John D. Rockefeller II., bought them in 1905 for some 60.000$, forming with them (and others) "The Cloisters", now a branch the Metropolitan Museum of Art. So if you want to see the original medieval capitals from this cloister - fly to New York. Here are the details: www.metmuseum.org/Works_Of_Art/department.asp?dep=7 Meanwhile a small collection of artwork found later in and around the abbey, including the tomb of St. Guilhelm, are in a little "lapidarium" next to this cloister.

... stayed at Mr. et Mme du Boullay´s wonderful chambre d'hôtes. Merci beaucoup, Jaqueline! We really recommend that place. For an excellent dinner try "Le Zanzibar" on the central square... Here are the details: www.saintguilhem-valleeherault.fr/1-15158-Details-d-un-ac...

When I reached St-Guilhem-le-Désert last year, I had the impression, that the abbey of Gellone was built near the end of the valley. Following the "balisage" now, I found out, that behind the parking lot, the valley continues and even widens. Later a steep ascent starts. For the next hours the "chemin" is steep and does not offer much shadow. If you plan to walk here, have in mind, that it can be very hot, so carry enough water with you. This mediterranean scrubland is called "garrigue" - and it is hot and dry. The ruins the chateau du Géant. The legend tells that St. Guilhem had to fight against this giant, before he founded the abbey of Gellone here. As St. Guilhelm, cousin and combatant of Charlemagne, used his miraculous sword, the giant had no chance. Most people visiting St-Guilhem-le-Désert notice the ruins on top of mountain above the village.

The light-flooded nave of the 17th century baroque church, built where around 780 Benedict of Aniane founded a "reform-monastry". Benedict had sucess, gained influence and founded and reformed a number of monasteries. 817 he headed a council of abbots at Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen), creating a "Codex regularum" binding on all abbey within the Carolingian Empire. Charlemagnes´son "Louis the Pious", his friend and patron built Marmoutier (Maursmünster) Abbey for Benedict in Alsace, that is where we "met" him earlier this year. Benedict died at Kornelimuenster, a monastery next to Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) in 821. He reformed the order, Benedict of Nursia had created around 530, and so gave it a base for the infuencve it had over the next centuries. The old monastry was destroyed during the Wars of Relgions, rebuilt in the 17th century and "remodeled" into a prison after the French Revolution, but at least the place is still the same.

The 17th century baroque facade of the former abbey church in Aniane does not look spectacular. The spectacluar is the place. Benedict of Aniane founded a "reform-monastry" here. He had sucess, gained influence and founded and reformed a number of monasteries. 817 he headed a council of abbots at Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen), creating a "Codex regularum" binding on all abbey within the Carolingian Empire. Charlemagnes´ son "Louis the Pious", his friend and patron built Marmoutier (Maursmünster) Abbey for Benedict in Alsace, that is where we "met" him earlier this year. Benedict died at Kornelimünster, a monastery next to Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) in 821. He reformed the order, Benedict of Nursia had created around 530, and so gave it a base for the influence it had over the next centuries. The old monastry was totally destroyed during the War of Relgions, rebuilt in the 17th century and "remodeled" into a prison after the French Revolution, but at least the place is still the same.

Upto 1949 the village of La Boissière was connected to the rest of the world via a railway-line. The line was closed up, the rails were taken out. All what is left now is comfortable walking path, leading over railway-bridges through the "garrigue".

Le château de Montarnaud , here seen from the other side of the valley, has a long history. When it was first built in the 11th century, it belonged to the lords of Montpellier. Reconstructed (14th.), besieged and partly destroyed during the Wars of Religion and dismantled by Richelieu it got rebuilt in the 17th. century. Since then it is owned by the family of Aynac Turenne, whose descendents still live ther today

When I reached the "Jardin du Presbytere" in Grabels, there was a pilgrim at the door. The garden would have been a nice and shady place for a little rest, but - it was locked. The pilgrim at the door had obviously waited here so long, that he was really hard and flat by now. On the left side is a number, telling that the distance from here to Santiago is - 1556kms.

Montpellier has a special relationship to Saint Roch, as he was born here in 1348. St. Roch is a very popular Saint, mostly his is pictured as a pilgrim, with a wound on his tigh - and a dog, holding a bread, at his side. He is Patron Saint of invalids, surgeons, gravediggers, apothecaries - and pilgrims, just to name a few. The neogothic church St. Roch was built in the 19th century, but the plans had to be cut, as money was running out. The construction never came to the planned end. The facade is finished, just the two towers never grew upwards.

.. as seen from the "Kodak-Point", as most photos show this western facade. Pope Urban V, whom "we met" in the Lodeve a couple of times earlier this year, founded a monastry here in 1364. When episcopal see was moved from nearby Maguelonne to Montpellier in 1536 the church of this monastry became cathedral. Then came the Wars of Religion. The church got strong fortifications, but after sieges, massacres, lootings, iconoclasms and bombardements there were only ruins left, when the last towers collapsed in 1567. Rebuilding started (by the order of the King) within the 17th century, last addons where done late 19th century.

... reached the inner city of Montpellier next morning. Did not take the sunny side of the road. Way too hot...

Having reached Castelnau-le-Lez, I was in suburbian Montpellier. Here is the nice church Saint-Jean-Baptiste, built in the late 12th/ early 13th century - and perfectly and tasteful restored. The single nave structure clearly dominates the slope - like the hull of a ship.

The outer walls of "Saint-Antoine-de-la-Cadoule" are covered with more than 100 graffitis. Most of them show horseshoes in all shapes and sizes. The chapel was part of a larger complex, that was built exactly at the "Via Tolosana" (now N113). It may have been used as a "hopital". Probably pilgrims have stayed here. Some pilgrims may have carved these horseshoes into the walls, to ensure a special blessing from St. Antoine. In Chablis pilgrims nailed horseshoes onto the door of the church, here they carved them into the wall. Here is a photo of that door in Chablis: www.flickr.com/photos/martin-m-miles/3986725207/

A look inside "Saint-Antoine-de-la-Cadoule" to the apse. As the chapel is used as a workshop and garage since decades, it is filled with parts and tools. The arch to the left corresponds to the main arch to the apse. A same arch is on the right. The wall on the right was demolished, to install the garage- door. A statue of St. Antoine is still in the small window in the back.

The apsis of "Saint-Antoine-de-la-Cadoule" - seen over the blue, electric fence. The lombard band under the roof is nearly complete - and the halfcolumns have small floral capitals.