Monday 21 March 2011

L'Eglise de Saint Pierre de Liens, Martignac, Lot.

I mentioned this nearby village church in my yesterday's posting, and, as I probably won't return to Martignac for some time, I've half-inched a few pictures from the web, to give you a taster. I hope they give some idea of the past (and present) splendour of this exquisite small 13th C church.

Most of the interior is covered in medieval paintings; some in full colour, others in simple black and white. As one would expect, they illustrate what evils will befall you if you're anything like Cro, and what pleasures you can expect if you're NOT!

In both the top and middle pictures you will see carefully positioned flowers in glass vases. Every time I've visited this church, there's been a ragbag of dusty plastic flowers in old baked bean tins; even for this tiny hamlet of about 50 (max) inhabitants, one would have expected at least one person to devote some time to decent flowers (France has no WI).

France is a secular country, so all marriages are performed by the Mayor of your village, town, or city (you can only have a 'blessing' in a church). But wouldn't this have made a spectacular setting for a big-hat wedding!

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9 comments:

  1. Very interesting about secular/blessing in France.

    We should have that here.

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  2. What amazing paintings. Most of the English ones were destroyed in the Reformation - shame.

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  3. I like it. It definitely has a certain charm that makes you want to go and sit for awhile all by yourself just to look at each drawing.

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  4. I think it's all wonderfully beautiful! The pictures are just awesome...I would love to be there to see it!! It has a peaceful quality that seems so tranquil and knowing in is so old adds to it's amazing charm.

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  5. Those pictures are wonderful! No plastic flowers in baked bean tins. Please No!

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  6. These buildings take my breath away, just the age of everything,it was my turn on the roster to clean our little church sat morn so I took some pics for you, the difference of a country church to your country church is like chalk and cheese,the painting alone is fantastic I saw one at Avion that I had trouble coming out of!My friend had her funeral service at a small chapel at a place here named Nulkalbar and it was full of folk art but beautiful in its own way...I will post our little chirch through the week for you to see.Have a great day to you and LAdy M.

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  7. I thought you'd like to see this, what with Monty and all. Our yellow lab used to make this same guilty face.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ISzf2pryI

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  8. Thanks Willow, but I don't seem able to get it. It keeps saying 'UNAVAILABLE'. I wonder why! Maybe France hasn't paid its 'youtube' dues.

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