Introduction

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A Short History

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Richard the Lionheart

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The Pilgrims Way

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Food glorious food

THE PILGRIM'S WAY

He who would valiant be 'Gainst all disaster Let him in constancy Follow the Master. There's no discouragement Shall make him once relent His first avowed intent To be a pilgrim. JOHN BUNYAN 1628-88

Compostella, Galicia, Spain, became in the Xllc the most accessible and popular destination for 'European' pilgrims. For two hundred years 30- 50,000 people travelled there each year. In 1987 the Council of Europe officially declared the routes to Compostella - there are four main ones through France - of highest cultural importance. Pilgrims from Sicily, England, distant Russian principalities, Scandinavia and north-eastern Teutonic countries battled their way with perhaps the oldest tourist guide of all, which was written in Latin between 1130 and 1140 by a Poitevin monk called Aimery Picaud.

The second of these routes was, and is, La Via Lemovicensis or the Limousin route, known to be especially holy because it wended its way after Vezelay towards Crozant (Creuse), through the Limousin lands full of pagan mysteries, vestiges and relics, which the early Christian saints exploited and turned into places of Christian veneration and awe.

The tourist route of Saint Jacques in the Limousin takes in some of the most beautiful abbeys and churches, wonderful countryside and, unlike days gone by when the route to Compostella was beset with danger, disease and even death, there are now many good hotels and restaurants.

Early pilgrims decided to up sticks, re-make wills and sally forth, often with their whole family into the unknown, with a little leather bag for bread and a calebasse, a gourd, for water, a cape and the richer ones a horse. Often sheltered by monks, Templars or the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, the route was a rough one. Nowadays, you'll be advised to take, photos, social security book, note book, maps and guides, still a cape, a lantern and a kneeling mat (!), loo paper, soap, nail clippers, sun cream and underwear. A cafe owner in St Germain les Belles just south of Saint Leonard de Noblat says pilgrims rarely pass through on a horse but often on bikes with a trailer bringing up the rear. Another pilgrim from Holland passed through Saint Leonard on his donkey. He made it to the Spanish border but the donkey was put in quarantine and he had to carry on on foot! Progress doesn't necessarily make things any easier!

La Via Lemovicensis (Route of Saint Jacques de Compostello)

Starting in the Limousin at Crozant, a VIc ruined fortress, belonged to les Comtes de la Marche. In La Souterraine there is rather a good restaurant, Auberge de la Vallee, a Rue Saint Jacques and the church, Notre Dame, which was built up by the monks of Saint Martial of Limoges. On to Le Grand-Bourg, on the Gartempe; a halt near Solignac, with a big, dark XIIIc church; then Benevent l'Abbaye, an exciting Romanesque abbey, of Spanish influence - pilgrims stop here today, and the hostel in the square bears a shell sign (the motif of St. Jaques); Saint Leonard de Noblat (pictured right) has a lovely collegiate.

Saint Leonard, a hermit, became revered throughout Europe long after his death as his reputation as patron saint of prisoners grew. He's also a patron saint of anybody or animal seeking deliverance of any kind - oxen from their yokes, or people suffering from mental handicaps. In fact, St Leonard was re- invented, some 600 years after his death, by a lay bishop of Limoges. The bishop. also lay seigneur of Saint Leonard, sensed money and saw in Leonard his main chance. So he asked his friend, the bishop of Chartres to write a book on the life of St. Leonard, but he couldn't, so he wrote it himself. He circulated this book to fellow ecclesiastics and they believed it. Result: pilgrims poured in, plus artisans and camp followers. The mediaeval quarters and merchants houses in Limoges owe much of their prosperity to the pilgrims and the bishop! (Pilgrims from the Benelux countries often did (and still do) peel off at Saint Leonard de Noblat to visit Saint Germain les Belles, Magnac Bourg, Uzerche, Brive and, in the neighbouring Lot, Rocamadour - the very holy shrine of the Black Virgin).

From Saint Leonard the route splits going west to Solignac, a much sought-after monastery in the Middle Ages and still a place to stay, Chalus the resting place of Richard the Lionheart, La Coquille and all stops to Perigueux. Or south through Coussac Bonneval, with possibly the earliest 'Lanterne des Morts', frescos in the church and the Chateau still owned by the de Bonneval family who, because of their popularity and generosity survived the French revolution. Unlike many French chateaux, here there are a dozen rooms richly decorated with period furniture, good pictures, tapestries and one of the finest private collections of porcelain. The chateau, pictured left, is open to the public.

Uzerche in the Correze, the pearl of the Limousin, was an important resting place on the route. A fortified city, it was a safe stop-over for pilgrims and the huge Benedictine abbey a good resting place. Overlooking the dramatic river Vezere, Uzerche certainly is one of the most picturesque towns in the Limousin. With its turreted houses, and later XVIIc and XVIIIc nobles' houses, the Romanesque belfry of the church of Saint Pierre and superb views, this is a very pleasant place to wander around.

Tulle, deep in the Correze valley, is known for lace and gun manufacture, but in early pilgrim times the existing cathedral was the abbey church attached to a large monastery, another good stop-over. Brive and nearby Aubazine are where the Limousin routes converge. Aubazine possesses the sole remaining complete Romanesque Cistercian abbey. The tomb of its founder Etienne d'Obazine shows some of the finest examples of XIc carving.

Once over the Spanish border, only one road leads to Compostella, and pilgrims MUST do at least 100 km on foot or 200km by bike or horse (if the horse is allowed in!).

En Route:
A short detour from the route at Saint Yriex-la-Perche, the little village of Le Chalard is worth a visit. The Xlc church is a fusion of strength and beauty; the XVc fortifications around the earlier buildings support a massive square belltower. The light and elegant interior, though, with 28 columns and finely sculpted capitals, is pure Romanesque. The tomb of Sir Gouffier de Lastours, who took the Limousins into the first crusade, lies at the foot of one column. Tucked away in a niche are the treasures, including a superb enamelled XIIIc reliquary and a bust of Saint Geoffrey. A staircase descends into the crypt where there is a permanent exhibition on goldmining in the region. Near the church, encircled by ancient box trees, is the mysterious monks' cemetery. Here lie 40 sculpted granite tombs - unique in France. (pictured right)

*Reproduced from France News*

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