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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 12:41:50 GMT
The name of this town confused me for a long time. People would talk about Le Puy and others would talk about Le Puy-en-Velay and it took me a long time to realise that they are the same place. Digging deeper into the subject, I discovered that the name was Le Puy-en-Velay in the 19th century and it was shortened to Le Puy in 1906. In 1988, it became Le Puy-en-Velay again. Just to exhaust this subject, I will also say that "Velay" is a small region in Auvergne but it was formerly part of Languedoc. These formerly disputed fragments of France which got tossed back and forth are generally not easy to reach, and Le Puy is no exception. As for the word "puy," it is found throughout the region of Auvergne because it is the name for an extinct volcano, of which there are 80 in Auvergne alone. The last eruption was 8600 years ago which is basically nothing, so they could wake up at any time. However, this did not occur during my visit.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 12:48:13 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 12:54:46 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 13:49:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 13:53:26 GMT
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2016 14:48:02 GMT
Kerouac, this is really wonderful! Super pictures, though it appears you got quite the workout going up and down the streets.
My friend grew up in this area and she always raves about its beauty. When she went back to visit this past summer she made sure to rent an apartment downhill from the shopping area so she wouldn't have to haul groceries uphill on the way home.
I'm looking forward to seeing more.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 14:57:28 GMT
One important thing to know about Le Puy is that it is an important pilgrimage city but as a starting point rather than a finishing point. In the year 950, the bishop of Le Puy became the first non-Spanish person to make the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, soon to be followed by thousands more people in France and the rest of Europe. There are four starting points for the Santiago trail in France (Tours, Vézelay, Arles and Le Puy), but the trail from Le Puy is considered to be both the easiest and the best because the GR65 hiking trail leads all the way to the Spanish border at Saint Jean Pied-de-Port in the Pyrénées. Every time I have been to Le Puy, I have noticed that it is also chosen by many German and Dutch pilgrims as their starting point, even though there are really quite a few ways to go, as you can see below. From Le Puy to Compostela, the distance is 750km. Travel time is estimated at 28-33 days assuming an average of 25km a day. Of course a lot of the faithful don't have that much time at their disposal, so it is common to perform the pilgrimage in chunks of a week or two and then pick up the following year where you left off. It's also interesting to know that many non believers and people of other faiths make this pilgrimage because it is considered to be a sort of European challenge that is good for anybody's soul. It is always a fascinating conversation topic as well as being a great way to meet people.
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2016 15:47:57 GMT
I believe that's the Shrine of Saint Joseph.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 16:17:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 16:27:33 GMT
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2016 16:55:03 GMT
Ah. Beautiful! I recall trudging skipping up to various heights over the summer, but it was always worth it in the end.
The book I'm reading is about some of the painters who added such beautiful details to religious spaces like those you've photographed. It's given me more of an appreciation for their work.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 17:11:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 18:22:41 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2016 18:35:27 GMT
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Post by htmb on Sept 10, 2016 19:50:47 GMT
There appears to be lots to see in Le Puy. I get the feeling you only scratched the surface a bit. I found the architectural details of the town very interesting, but your last few series of creative photographs were super nice, as well. I particularly liked the black and white pic with just a little amber color showing through a window on the left.
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Post by fumobici on Sept 10, 2016 23:00:42 GMT
This is a cool report on a town I had never heard of before. I never thought of pilgrims' trails having fixed starting points before, and this looks like an interesting town to begin in. it looks quite old, but at the same time doesn't look like a museum as much as a real living place. I don't want to curse it by calling it "charming" but it does appear to have that appeal. The steep hills and cobbles and your description of the heat all combined make me a little glad it was you instead of me soaking it all in. Nevertheless, a really nice set of photos.
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Post by lagatta on Sept 11, 2016 1:53:44 GMT
Lovely town, though I'm now very afraid of steep climbs like that where there aren't proper stairs - I have an ankle that is seriously messed up. Does it really have no rail service? Rather a large town for that. So I guess I'll never go there.
Yes, your hotel looks very fine for an Ibis, and has a nice café below.
Did you buy any lentils?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2016 4:06:42 GMT
Htmb -- thanks for all of your comments. Yes, I did only scratch the surface, but that's all I really want to do in a town that is 'excessively' religious, because the atmosphere can quickly become oppressive to me. But that's just me I guess. You can see from my photos, for example, that Muslims are quite happy living there.
Fumobici -- the heat was not at all a problem as long as I could stay in the shade. And there were fountains all over the city. It is indeed a real living place, and there were not even many souvenir shops, probably because the pilgrims are the biggest group of visitors and they don't want to carry anything extra with them on their trek.
Lagatta -- Le Puy is not in Ardèche, so it does indeed have rail service, quite a bit of it in fact. There are about 6 trains a day from Paris with a transfer in Saint Etienne. No, I didn't buy any of the famous lentils since they are available in every supermarket in France.
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Post by lagatta on Sept 11, 2016 11:55:16 GMT
Well, the famous lentils were a bit of a joke, you can find them in most (larger) supermarkets here too, and any with the slightest gastronomic pretentions.
It didn't look religiously oppressive like Lourdes and some of the other shrine towns you've reported on. I doubt I'd want to live there, but I could certainly spend a week, sketching and painting.
Yes, the visibly Muslim people in your photos looked happy and relaxed. Though I know Maghrebi men who AREN'T religious but like wearing those loose white clothes when it is very hot, as they are so comfy. Perhaps less now, because of the strong identification with devotion and perhaps even fanaticism.
I like travelling by rail so that is good...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2016 13:01:30 GMT
Actually, they were probably only wearing djellabas because it was time for Friday afternoon prayer. In my own neighbourhood, 95% of the djellabas I see are only on Friday.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 12, 2016 4:56:17 GMT
I'm finally getting to see this really dazzling thread. I need to go through it again, though, and keep myself from repeatedly saying, "Ooooo, that's my favorite ... no, that one ...." What a beautiful and interesting place, although also rather homey, as has been pointed out. I envy you the experience of getting to the top and surveying all below -- always a rewarding thing to do. Ditto what Htmb said about the b&w with the "with just a little amber color showing through a window" (nicely put!), but I also love the little white dog with the Barbies and the gone-to-seed hollyhocks in front of the green door along with so many other favorites. I don't know how you did it, but you managed to capture the clarity of the mountain air. A lovely, lovely report ~ thanks!
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Post by mossie on Sept 12, 2016 18:27:50 GMT
What a super little place, a proper provincial town with real cobbles, not your soft townie Parisian version.
And Kerouac, have you been transformed into a mountain goat? But thanks for making the effort to visit the chapel.
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Post by lugg on Sept 16, 2016 18:24:37 GMT
Fab report and fab photos. I remember studying this area as part of my A level geography course at the tender age of 16/17 and it holds great appeal for me ( despite that maybe..... but actually I loved my course) So much to admire , not least your climbing prowess- actually for me tits not the climb up that daunts me but the painful descent Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe - is the stained glass window here really ancient or more modern? I really was not certain. Either way its lovely and so is the photo of the reflected light.
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Post by mossie on Sept 20, 2016 14:57:42 GMT
Dear Lugg, please be careful with your protuberances
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Post by lagatta on Sept 20, 2016 15:40:58 GMT
A sport bra can be a great help for bouncy protuberances. Men wear their athletic supports a bit lower.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 9, 2017 4:50:10 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 9, 2017 15:45:02 GMT
Ooooo -- that setting raises it into the stratosphere of light shows!
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