25th of July started still grey and a bit cold not like summer at all. So we took it slow, after breakfast starting a washing machine. Arnaud offered us to show us around Vezelay, which is one of the Pilgrimage centres and a famous starting point for the Way of Saint James to Santiago de Compostela. The history goes back to the 9th century when a Benedictine Abbey was founded. Probably in those time the relicts of Maria Magdalena found also their way to Vezelay but not before the 11th and 12th century the Magdalena cult reached its peak.
During many years the Romano-Gothic cathedral was under restauration and now they are nearly finished with their work. The stones were shining so bright without their century old patina, that it looked nearly artificially new. But the work they did was enormous.
We just arrived during the noon service and the chants of the nuns and monks filled the great volume of long lasting acoustic. They knew how to arrange the music to add note to note the echo chamber in which it resounded from the gothic arches.
After Mass we were allowed to enter the crypt where the relicts of Maria Magdalena are shown in a glass shrine guarded by golden angels. Outside the weather had changed into a sunny blue sky with far distant views over the Morvan landscape. It was very calm and I had expected a lot more tourists, but it was not crowded at all. Back in Clamecy the washing was done and after lunch everyone felt like having a Siesta, which was the first time after nearly three weeks on the bike and felt like a real Fiesta. What a joy! First day of holiday feeling.
Later we still had a look at Arnaud’s garden apart from his house with fruit and nut trees but unfortunately there was not a lot ripe enough to be harvested. On top of it the last thunderstorms with hail and rain had ruined some of the grapes and tomatoes. Nevertheless, his garden by his house looked beautiful with strong smelling flowers and Lavender.
By coincidence he ran into some colleague from the film sets who was carpenter and travelled with his boat which he had just fixed in front of his house in the harbour. A little Apero with his friends on the terrace started a relaxed evening with nice stories and talks and life felt like being on vacation.
