Tuesday, May 23
Good news! Our Covid-afflicted Camino friend is recovering and we dodged it!
Today, we played tourist. We visited the abbey-church Église de Sainte Foy, a gem of Romanesque architecture begun in the 11th century and finished in the 12th. The church is known for its austere and very tall interior, its tympanum (the recessed decoration in a pediment or arch) consisting of no less than 124 figures depicting the Last Supper and other scenes and painted in (once) brilliant tones now faded, as well as its contemporary stained-glass windows designed by Pierre Soulages.
See the tympanum here: https://www.tourisme-conques.fr/en/en-conques/the-tympanum
And the windows here: https://www.tourisme-conques.fr/en/en-conques/stained-glass-windows-of-soulages
Le Trésor d’Orfevreries is a small museum containing one of the most significant reliquaries from the Middle Ages. Highlighting the medieval devotion to relics, pieces include portable altars, chalices, and a seated statue of Sainte Foy, which holds her stolen remains.
The city fortifications, including watch towers and fortified gates, the many fountains, the functional communal bread ovens, the asymmetrical “Roman” bridge of pink sandstone, once common chestnut drying and storage structures, and several shops showcasing artisanal products ensured we enjoyed a lovely visit. I bought a beautiful green leather purse from a former landscape designer who, along with her husband, left her city job to move to Conques and produce and sell high-quality leather goods.
We dined at Chez Pierre et Colette, outside, facing the church. The restaurant reminded us of Honfleur in Normandy, with its many crèperies serving galettes (savory crepes), sweet crepes, cider, and salads.
This savory crepe was filled with spinach, mushrooms, and emmenthaler cheese.
A lettuce, goat cheese, and pear salad, lightly drizzled with a honeyed vinaigrette.
Later, we walked a bit out of town to do a wine tasting with Patrick & Joel Rols of Domaine Rols, an organic producer of rosé and red wines. They are a small producer but starting to gain an international following, and they ship all over the world. Naturally, we bought a couple of bottles of their La Coquille, a delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot!
Patrick explains his wine-making process. He had just come in from the fields to welcome us!
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