La Ferte Bernard

The train from Paris brought us to La Ferte Bernard, but we've not had a chance to explore the town. Today is the day. Nicknamed "the Venice of the West," the town is crisscrossed by canals. It's a short drive - 29 kilometers.






The town dates from the 12th century and was originally built on stilts in the middle of the marshes, growing up around the fortified castle.

















In 1590 the town was under siege by Henri IVs troops and the food supply was dwindling. The commander of the fort, Drago Comnenos, decided to rid himself of some hungry mouths, and expelled a number of women to fend for themselves. They fared badly at the hands of the besiegers. Then Comnenos disguised 200 of his men as women and sent them out of the fort. As the besieging force welcomed this fresh group of "women," the men removed their women's clothing and fought their attackers, who fled. It's a dark chapter in the town's long history.

Today, the sun shines brightly, the weather is perfect, and what we see driving in to town is very inviting. We've seen a number of very pretty towns in France, but we agree this may be the prettiest. Flowers pour out of wide hanging planters on the wrought iron railings of bridges above the canals, half-timbered two-story Renaissance houses line the streets, some with statues looking down on the pedestrians below.

We enter a courtyard by a walkway through a building that houses the library We are alone, surrounded by the soothing sound of water moving through the canals that border two sides of the garden. It's peaceful and beautiful.

Crossing through St. Julien's Gate where the drawbridge over the moat once allowed entry into the fort, we see shops all along the street. It's easy to imagine that we've stepped into the 16th century as the shadows cast by the walls of the fort dim our vision momentarily, and that these are shops selling linen and wool and other trade goods of the time.

Strolling through town past the old buildings, the chateau, the waterways is more than a walk through time. La Ferte Bernard is a busy modern town; though many of the streets look like a Disney movie, behind the walls of the ancient building are computer stores, travel agencies, drugstores and clothing stores. The Tourist Information office is housed in the old salt store. There's nothing contrived here - it's all real and somehow blends seamlessly.

The jewel of the town, and the highlight of our visit is the church, Notre-Dame-des-Marais (Our Lady of the Marshes), built over the period 1500-1596. Beautiful churches are often crowded with tourists in France. Here, though, we are alone for some time before just one other couple silently join us.

Again, I light a candle for Jacob. This time I am able to sit down and meditate in silence for a time.

This is a working church. Pictures of a scout troop and youth on a missions trip are thumbtacked to corkboards resting on easels. There's a sheet for new visitors to sign, brochures for various mission efforts, and, as in all the churches we've seen here, an appeal for more young men to join the priesthood.

The architecture is Flamboyant Gothic, intricate and elegant. Gorgeous stained glass windows tell stories from the Bible. One shows a beautiful Mary Magdalene at Jesus' feet at the meal at Bethany.

At Notre Dame and Chartres we experienced the great glory and grandeur of God; here we find God's peace and comfort.

We emerge into a perfect day - the sky is brilliant, the temperature just right.

Bernie, who's been searching for pizza, has spotted a place for lunch. The French take food seriously and allow time to enjoy it. The staff doesn't hustle you along to provide an empty table for the next diner. Order something and the table's yours for the afternoon.

It's been a long time since we had such a leisurely meal. We're outside, of course.

A family enters the pharmacy across the street - Dad, Mom, four little girls and a baby in a sling resting against Mom. One of the little girls puts the baby's hat on - it's a little bonnet and perches atop her head with the ties hanging around her face. She looks up at her mother for her reaction, smiling impishly. She reminds us a little of Elyse. I think of Elyse with Jacob and Juliet.

When we are finished with our meal and waiting for our bill, I go into the women's clothing store two doors up. I find a pair of capris and a top on sale. The pants have a bit of subtle bling, but it's tasteful. It's hard to get away from style in France. Preppy they're not, my friend Darla will be relieved to hear.

My other purchase for the day is an outfit for Juliet. I've been looking at the baby clothes since I've been here -they're all so cute that I've had a hard time choosing.

One of the great benefits of what we're doing is the having the time to really experience the places you visit, not just hit the high spots and rush on to the next famous sight.