In today’s episode of our French village, Jugon Les Lacs mini-series, I share something that surprised me. I honestly have never seen a war memorial quite like this one. EDIT: The individuals featured in the stained glass all were from & lived in JLL.
The church in this video is called Église Notre Dame et Saint-Etienne, and it is rather challenging to find information about the monument. I do know that she dates back to the 16th century. The church is unique in that it is surrounded by a cemetery, enclosed by a stone wall. You must enter through one of the portails and walk through the rock cemetery to access the church.
I honestly wasn’t expecting the église to be open as I understand it is primarily closed to the public during the week. But there were two ladies there, assembling flowers for a memorial service. They were SO kind to the girls and me, allowing Pearl and Rose access to the church too. We sat and talked for some time, with the only interruption being the occasional local who was checking in on their progress.
The lady in the video montage toured us through the interior, explaining the history of the memorial stained glass and the organ recently donated by a local British resident and delivered from England.
In the final scene, I share with you the stained glass depicting the baptism of Jesus. The colors were incredibly vibrant, and the church was such a lovely experience.
I will share a bonus video in my Instagram story for the next 24 hours. Her name is Catherine, and she fell in love with Pearl and Rose, making them little floral bouquets for their harnesses. Towards the end, she stood up and showed her arms to me. Breaking out in hives, Catherine explained that she was horribly allergic to dogs, but since the passing of her husband due to cancer, she has been so alone. And that the opportunity to receive the girl’s affection was well worth the allergies. We exchanged phone numbers and have stayed in touch since. I hope to bring the girls to her for a visit.
Bon Dimanche & Happy May Day,
Bisous,
Shannon