At 7 p.m., after finishing my writing, I quietly joined five others who were on a sort of retreat for dinner (which even included wine) at the abbey of La Vigne in Pradines. At 5:30 p.m., I had already attended Vespers in a beautiful modern church that reminded me of a Le Corbusier design; white walls and special light effects created a unique atmosphere. Forty sisters sitting in a spacious circle, singing together beautifully. The 40 minutes flew by as if I were at a concert. Here, laypeople can see the nuns, which wasn’t allowed in Autun. So, the rules are interpreted differently.
nastry of Pradines with its modern chapel
Before dinner with the six residents, Sister Nathanaël, the guestmaster, said that those who wanted more information about my journey and why I’m doing it could get it quietly in the park after the meal. Three people took her up on the offer: Alix, a Carmelite recovering from depression; Marie-Ange (an angel of a woman, if I may say so) who has a daughter with bulimia; and Yvonne, who, after hearing my brief story, shared about her godchild who lost a baby after more than a year in the hospital immediately after birth. She spoke about how poor the medical care was and how nonexistent the support for the parents was. It became a lively but fulfilling conversation that lasted an hour and a half. As I was leaving, Marie-Ange brought me a small heart-shaped stone for Rinus’s resting place in Leuven. Sister Alix told me she prayed for him and would continue to do so, as well as for Tim and Yasmine. I confessed to her that later that evening, I had sinned by finishing the rest of the wine bottle (Corbières). She promised she’d take the blame because she enjoys a glass herself.
The church of Epercieux-St-Paul with fresco
I left a bit later than planned, around 8:30 a.m., with 90 km ahead of me from Pradines along secondary roads to Saint-Étienne. Then, I circled Saint-Étienne to reach Firminy after 20 km.
Aside from some minor issues, it went surprisingly well. I made two short stops: one at an old church with a 16th-century fresco rediscovered in 1905, and a second stop at the château of Montrond-les-Bains. We are now in the Auvergne, known for its extinct volcanoes but still active in many thermal baths. These are very popular because one session per year is reimbursed by health insurance... indirect support for tourism.
Picnic near the chateau of ntrond-les-Bains
For quite some time, the ride was fairly flat, but before Saint-Étienne, it became quite steep both uphill and downhill. This promises to be challenging tomorrow when I have to cycle to Aubenas. While cycling around Saint-Étienne on some very nice bike paths, I had a picnic at a rest area with three small fountains and in the shade. It couldn’t have been better.
In Frminy I immediately rode to my B&B, a simple room in a hangar that’s been cozily converted into a house. When I arrived, they didn’t respond to the bell because they were still having a siesta. After 45 minutes, the host realized I was sitting outside, working on the phone with Magda. After dropping off my luggage, getting some fresh water, and refreshing myself a bit, I set off on my bike without the baggage to the part of the town where Le Corbusier drew up the plans almost 100 years ago, which were largely carried out and completed by his students after his death. I think the last part was finished around 2010...
Firminy : a town designed by Le Corbusier. The pyramidal chapel and its interior
I’m deeply impressed by what I see, especially the church both inside and out. This part of the town consists of a pyramidal church (impressive), a sports complex with sports fields, a cultural center, and residential blocks like his famous ones in Marseille, with a lot of nature, coziness, and a focus on practical elements and quality of life and living. I first cycled to the church. To my surprise, the woman at the ticket desk said I could bring my bike inside because it would be safe there. So, my Riese Muller bike was proudly displayed among books and promotional materials about Le Corbusier. I visited two of Le Corbusier’s churches with Magda: Ronchamp near Lausanne, and the church and abbey of La Tourette between Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand, and now this church in Firminy (without Magda). This last one is my favorite. Le Corbusier built three color cannons and many small openings into this pyramid, allowing green, red, or yellow hues or mixtures of shades to filter through. It was a super sunny day, and there was a real light show in the church, with waves of light dancing up and down.
Firminy: The ilage of Orion through the holes in the wall; the light show in the chapel and the sports infrastructure
In one of the four walls, the eastern wall, I think, as it is behind the altar and pulpit, there is a constellation formed by openings in the wall. I’m unsure, but Vero, John and Litje's eldest daughter, would certainly know for sure (as she did her doctorate on Le Corbusier). Le Corbusier didn’t specify which constellation should be built. One of his students, after Le Corbusier’s death, chose the constellation Orion. Some say it’s because this is the only constellation visible from both the southern and northern hemispheres. The stars seem to shoot through the universe with the beautiful sun outside, leaving behind what looks like cosmic dust. Or maybe it’s just the wild imagination of Uncle Yves. After more than two hours with Le Corbusier, I cycled back to my B&B. I stopped at Lidl and bought myself some salad, a tasty Oriental tabbouleh, and a cold beer. After eating, drinking, and writing the blog, I took a quick look at tomorrow’s challenging ride to Aubenas and made sure to leave on time, as it’s sure to be 7 to 9 hours of cycling. But I gladly do it for Rientje, even though my hip still hurts... we’ll see. Thanks again to Magda, who found me a cozy B&B without nuns or monks.
A pilgrimage is oalso about enjoying nature
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