In which Sid and Doris visit the limestone mine that provided material for cathedrals and shelter for soldiers, in a really busy day.
But we start with Old Hermann, who has been cutting out as all electrical power is briefly lost. Go over a big pot hole, red ignition light comes on for a moment and then all is well. Starting is a bit haphazard. Sid has been over all the under-bonnet connections with the tools. The security cut out works. Doris asks what is new? The new anti-theft dongle hangs on the ignition key. Sid recalls the switching off has been very light. Doris says What if we just have the ignition key in the barrel? All is well, so long as when turning the key back from the starter phase you don’t turn a millimetre too far. Solved, a new barrel soon. Old cars, doh.
So, first to Soissons’ St Gervais gothic cathedral where they have a new west front rose window. Started in 1167 the gothic part was mostly finished by 1212, ready to house relics, such as two pieces of the true cross and the femur of St Crispin, to lure in 13th century pilgrim Sids and Dorises. There is a south tower and never funding for a north tower.
Here is the nave.
On the debit side the cathedral was sacked, desecrated or broken by Huguenots, Revolutionaries, the Great War shelling (this mostly repaired by 1937), and in 2017 by Storm Egon that punched in the west end’s rose window.
Here is the new one, set out on the floor.
And as seen now, though still no North tower.
It is a packed day. Next stop the Chemin des Dames and the Caverne.
The MG club of Luxembourg have taken up position on the ridge.
The Chemin des Dames is a road running along the edge of a plateau with views clear across the Aisne countryside and very defendable. The Caverne du Dragon was a stone mine from where limestone was taken to build Laon cathedral. The Jesus sculptures that the medieval miners hoped would protect them are still in place.
After the Battle of the Marne the German forces stopped the Allied advance here and took control of the plateau. The stone mine was then used as their barracks and was a better posting than the trenches. However, as you see below it is damp, so mould grows fast. This is a few weeks worth. On the other hand no shells ever did penetrate, so maybe the Jesus heads are still working.
The 90 minute guided visit was well worth the time as the guide explained the battles for the ridge and life in the mine. Recommended. The small museum featured work by Luc LaBey, a medic and artist who did make it home.
From the mine to the building. S and D are tower guides at Salisbury cathedral so must sign up for the Tour of the Heights of Laon. The church has four levels: floor, a wide tribune level, a smaller triforium and clerestory (as in the railway car with the roof lights).
Doris is wearing open toed sandals with no ankle strap, so would not be allowed on the tour at Salisbury. But up they go.
There is a very handy guide called The 7 cathedrals of Picardy which we need not reproduce here. Just one picture of the very wide first floor tribune level that we were able to walk along.
Naturally S and D must visit the House of the Striped Donkey and the wonderful plan-relief 1:600 model of the town as it was in the late 1900s. Here Sid is accosted by a voluble old Judy (as she declares herself) and nothing will do but they must all go outside to see her plaque.
You can read it. Very brave those explorers. He and Louis Joliet mapped the upper Mississipi. (Sid’s quiz: what is the link with the Blues Brothers?)
Perhaps Father Jacques was Old Man River. On which cheery note S and D make for the nose bag and back to Soissons.
Not content with its cathedral Soissons has the Abbaye Saint Jean des Vignes, someone much revered by the grape loving duo.
The abbey was used by the army as a gunpowder store. In 1870 Germans shelled the abbey/arsenal. As you see the abbey is significantly see through and held up with scaffolding. Down below all is solid.
Parts of the abbey will become the town museum because Soissons has the Minister of Culture’s word that this is a Ville d’art et d’histoire. Funding follows.
As does dinner and planning to go to the Harvest Fair.
Irresistible, and un-resisted.