A Little History . . .

A friendly question was raised about the post just below this one : Was I going to spend my vacation visiting French human waste treatment plants ? Well, I'd just like you to know, for the record, that I did not actually set out yesterday with the intention of tracking down a sewage plant. It was an accident. . . but the sort of accident that I'm absolutely not averse to. When I saw the dirt road heading off down along the Oise River, I could do little else but follow it to see where it went. Not my fault if it led to a place stinking to high heaven.
.
In fact, the goal, or the objective of our trip yesterday, was to get to the Abbaye Royale de Moncel, a somewhat more culturally lofty destination than the other. Although it is not too far from our humble abode, we'd never been there . . . and decided to rectify that gap. The Abbey at Moncel was founded in 1309, by Philippe le Bel, so they are celebrating 700 years of history there this year. This is the cloister courtyard . . .
.










Underneath that row of arches in the courtyard, there was a message painted on a wall a long time ago, the French in it is archaic, but translates approximately as : "YOU entered this monastery in order to obey and not to command, so do be persuaded that all that is required of you here is always very useful, very just, and very saintly". I can't help but wonder what all that included through the Middle Ages . . .
.



















In a massive wood door at the entrance to the site there was still an old crudely created iron grill set in the door to allow a conversation to transpire, without necessarily seeing much of person on the other side . . . God only knows what sorts of things were said through these holes over the centuries . . .
.


















.
.