The Abbey of Fontenay

We talked to a couple of bikers, in their late 60s, from Tamworth, who are on a fairly big trip. From here at Montbard they are heading for a week in a chalet near Lourdes, in the Pyrenees. Then they go back across to the Alps and over into Italy.

They are riding a Motor Guzzi but I forget which one because we soon started to talk ‘bikes’, in spite of my zero knowledge. Once they had explained that back home there were sixteen more, most of them roadworthy, I was lost!

We visited the Abbey of Fontenay, one of the oldest Cistercian abbeys, which was founded in 1098. It’s a Unesco world heritage site and has undergone a remarkable transformation from abbey, to ‘state property’, to paper mill and back to restored abbey.

It is truly amazing to imagine living a life of poverty and simplicity, by choice. Maybe if you wanted to be a monk back in those days, this Order would be the ultimate sacrifice. The sparseness of the church and of the dormitory are clear. There’s nothing to distract from the ultimate spiritual focus.

The dormitory roof is stupendous and the monks all slept here on basic wooden ‘beds’.

Outside it is equally magnificent.

The best part though is the forge, where the concept of a hydraulic hammer was first created. Amazingly it still functions, driven by a water wheel. The main drive shaft still turns and the hammer would rise and fall, lifted by the cams on the driven wheel, if it were to be engaged in gear.

Later we did some fruit and veg shopping at a lovey town and managed a great picture of a 2CV  

Now here are some reminders about France.

Lots of places close during the early afternoon, especially municipal camp site reception offices. This means that you can’t check-in and must wait in the baking sun. Often they are closed until 15:00 or even later.

The lovely bread is supposed to be bought fresh every day and it doesn’t keep well overnight. It’s a ritual to go and buy your baguette and croissants each morning but when camping, don’t forget to order the day before.

Every village has a boulangerie and these usually open at 06:30 or 07:00 so you can always find one. These bakers must regard their job as a vocation.

There are many kinds of bread flour and so a ‘normale’ baguette is not the same as ‘au grains’ or ‘campagne’.

Be careful at roundabouts if you cross to drive the inside line, as drivers will come the long way around, over your right shoulder and not necessarily expect you cut back across in order to exit, even though you signal to do so. I don’t know where they think you are going though…