La Lecon Geographique and a Seven-Sided Church

I don't want to tell anyone how to such eggs. However,it seems to me that a little history and geography might be worthwhile to get a better understanding of the nature of the people and the land around us. The fact is France was not always, well, France.

There does not appear to be any trace of human existence until about 50,000 BC. Stone Age people dubbed 'Cro-Magnon' flourished from around 25,000 BC. Let's jump a few years to when Julius Caesar arrived in 58 BC to conquer the land known as Gaul. 500 years later, the Franks gave their name to modern France. Around 760 AD, Charlemagne exerted Frankish control over Roman Gaul and he created an administrative system where Counts and Bishops governed various provinces. Eventually, these provincial governors, whose lands such as Aquitaine and Burgundy had developed separate identities, had power that overshadowed the King. The King's lands were confined to an area around Paris known as the 'Ile de France'.

Through the 11th century, the kings (all who seemed to me to be called Louis) were concerned with restricting Papal interference; checking the English kings' continuing involvement in French territory; halting incursions from Spain; and controlling their vassals. All this was risky business as illustrated by Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriage to Henry II resulting in England controlling a substantial part of the country. After some 'toing and froing' and including such notables as Richard the Lionheart and so on, King Phillippe Auguste won back the lands and became a larger land owner than any other French lord.

Getting through the 'One Hundred Years War' with England; the 30 year 'Wars of Religion'; various kings and cardinals fighting for power; the Revolution; Napoleon; three republics; WWI; WWII; and the unsettling aftermath of war including various presidents of all persuasions, France has emerged as a modern country though still seeking total unity. Phew!

Donna can't believe that I have tried to cover 50,000 years of French history in 3 or 4 paragraphs. At this rate I could do a full Australian history in a couple of sentences. She still thinks I write too much nevertheless.

France has a population of 60 millions. The country is divided into 22 Regions and 96 Departments. Our Region is 'Languedoc-Roussillon' and it comprises 5 Departments covering the mid-Mediterranean south of France: Lozere (48); Gard (30); Herault (34); Aude (11); and Pyrenees-Orientales (66). West of us is the Midi-Pyrenees Region with 8 Departments and to our East is the Provence-Alps-Cote D'Azur with 6 Departments. By the way, you can tell from which Department a car comes by the last two numbers on the number plate.

The President appoints 'prefets' for Territorial administration at regional,departmental, and arrondissement level.

For local government, Regional Councillors represent Departments. At Department level, 'conseillers generaux' are elected to form a 'Conseil General' and sit at the Hotel du Department in the capital of the Department known as the 'prefecture'.

In total there are 35,560 'communes' whose elected 'conseillors municipaux' elect the 'mairie'or mayor. They sit at a Hotel de Ville in the larger towns or otherwise the 'Mairie' or Town Hall.

Our Region, like others, has a number of named areas describing their geographical position e.g. Haute Languedoc (higher Languedoc), or feature e.g. Corbieres (the Mountains). Our general area is called 'Minervois' named after the ancient city of Minerve, a Roman fort dedicated to the Goddess of Wisdom.

Minervois straddles the Aude and Herault departments and forms a vast amphitheatre facing directly south and backing up against the Black Mountains, between Carcassonne and Beziers about 30 kms from the sea. This geographical positioning has a unique effect on grape and wine production however, that will be the focus of a later blog.

We have found this part of the world quite fascinating and not only because of its beauty but on another, more intriguing plane...the people and their special sense of identity. At first we thought it was the Spanish or Catalan influence however, that was badly misconstrued on our part.

The area now known as Languedoc covers only a small part of the lands where the Occitan language or 'langue d'oc', the language of 'oc' was spoken. Today the Occitan movement has a power base stretching between Carcassonne to Nimes. The movement strives for greater independence and recognition of its linguistic and cultural distinctiveness. There is a wide-spread resentment to the bureaucrats of remote and alien Paris.

In recent times this resentment has been a reaction to the bureaucrats determination to drag the area into the 21st century with massive tourist developments and a transformation of the cheap wine industry. However, the memory bank is long and the religious repression against the Protestants around 1700, and the massacres of the Cathars in the 13th century with the subsequent obliteration of the Langue D'Oc (troubadour) civilization remain vivid in the collective consciousness. It is no wonder that this rural and conservative grouping paradoxically vote Left!

No doubt things are changing but the Occitanian identity remains strong.

Fri 16 Jun

Caunes Minervois

Sat 17 Jun

Caunes Minervois. Ingrid dropped in for afternoon tea...two bottles of Malliol Sauvignon Blanc later!

Sun 18 Jun

We felt it was time to do some local exploration so we drove east about 8.5 kms to the village of Rieux Minervois with its population of 2100. Leaving the car on the main street we ventured down towards the Argent Double River and found many buildings around 500 to 600 years old and an old stone bridge across the river leading to a smallish church or chapel that was built in the 9th century and rebuilt in the 15th. Back over our shoulders we could see the high stone walls and structure of a magnificent chateau now used for cultural activities including visiting orchestras and music groups. In many respects the village was like Caunes Minervois but not so Mediterranean. Following the narrow roads to the end of town we came across a very well maintained Hotel de Ville and, across the square, a very remarkable church.

The Church of the Notre Dame was built in the second half of the 12th century on the site of an earlier church of which all trace has disappeared. The plan of the church is a polygon of 14 sides, enclosing a seven-sided sanctuary. As you enter the church the striking feature is that the altar is in the centre of the building with the central hectagon of four squat pillars and three columns surrounding it. The pews are arranged around the altar rather than in front of it. It might be suggested that the arrangement reflects the 'marriage of Heaven and Earth'...the foursquare world and the spiritual triangle. The seven pointed star is a recurring symbol in this area but just what this unique church is doing in plain old Rieux Minervois is a mystery. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary whose wisdom is said to be symbolised by the number 7, the church's perfect east/west alignment is ideally suited for celebrating the Mass.

Proverbs 1:9 says "Wisdom has built her house; she has set up her seven pillars". This answers the question for me about T.E. Lawrence's inspiration for his 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom".

There is no doubt that there is here a deep vein of medieval mysticism, with geometry and allegory beyond us modern mortals. A series of ley lines based on this site have been found. It seems the line of the mid-summer sunrise passes from the altar inside the church through a window and begins an alignment that goes as far as Minerve and beyond, passing several chapels dedicated to St John along the way.

The sculptoral detail inside the church is extraordinary and was done under the direction of a master of the time. Also remarkable is the talent and mathematical nous of the stone masons of the 12th century and particularly with the 7-sided belfry and the roof vaulting connecting the heptagon with the 14-sided exterior wall.

It is amazing what you can find even in the most ordinary looking villages in this part of the world.

Mon 19 Jun

Three admin tasks to complete today and all 'done and dusted'. Firstly was to finalise the tickets to see Al Jarreau (American jazz singer) perform in Carcassonne on 11 Jul,the day before we leave for England and home. Secondly, to arrange train tickets to Aix-en Provence on Thursday for a day trip to visit the Musee Garnet to view the Cezanne exhibition marking 100 years since his death. Finally, organizing accommodation in Andorra as we plan to drive down to this self-governing and nano-sized country tomorrow and stay overnight in this tax free haven.