How I spent my summer holidays part 1

The reason for the parts? Ah yes, well, there are many photos. So many in fact they fall into different categories. As did our holiday, in a sense. Medieval, Megalithic, Geographic, Folklorish, with the overriding theme of research. Strangely enough I didn’t get a lot of reading done. We did watch the series Pillars of Heaven which tied in with the first section – Medieval.

I love Cathedrals, and Church Architecture in general, but Cathedrals in particular. It’s a combination of the way the stone appears so delicate, while at the same time being so strong, the way the light filters through, the way the stained glass gives everything a magical quality. And candles. I love the flickering of candles.

Medieval towns in France we visited (Vitre, Rennes, Quimper) retain some amazing buildings. Vitre in particular has houses that look like they’re in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade, and one which reminded me in all seriousness of the Burrow! We ate in an amazing creperie in Vitre with green parasols in the garden, but with a diningroom like a scaled down Hogwarts Great hall. Speaking of Halls, the Guest Hall in the Abbey of Mont St. Michel is the direct inspiration for the ball scene in The Treachery of Beautiful Things. I sat there exactly a year before the book’s publication date and got all verklempt. It’s so beautiful and it was the perfect place to visit on the 16th this year.

Fougere claims to be the largest fortress in Europe. It’s an astounding place and ties in with a certain Melusine who’s legend forms part of the research for my current WIP. Yes, the Brittany book reared its head again, this time with characters and a plot. So I guess its time to write it. Quimper figures, the Cathedral in particular but I’ll do another post on that as there are some other places to show you. And then I can tell you about seeing the hero right there on the beach at La Torche. No, really.
So, without futher ado, as they say… somewhere… here are the first round of medieval photos.