Camino Photo of the Day: the Steps of Saint-Fleuret

After visiting Château d’Estaing, I explored the village, wandering down its narrow medieval lanes, before somehow ending up directly in front of the church I’d visited earlier, Saint-Fleuret d’Estaing. There was just something about this view from a narrow lane and the tired pilgrim sitting on the steps that struck me as a proper encapsulation of this utterly charming village. […]

» Read more

Camino Photo of the Day: Charles-Henri d’Estaing, Admiral of France

The castle is mostly given over to a museum of the castle’s own history, the original family who lived here, and its most famous recent owner, former President of France Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. This is a portrait of the last of the original family, Charles-Henri, Comte d’Estaing and Admiral of France. He fought for the United States during the American Revolution and was later guillotined during […]

» Read more

Camino Photo of the Day: Plexiglass and Stainless Steel

Here you can see the modern furnishings in the sanctuary of the church of Saint-Fleuret d’Estaing. I really don’t understand what’s going on here. None of these modern furnishings match the fabric of the building or, indeed, any of the other furnishings in the place. I’ve seen plenty of churches with a multitude of successive artistic – even architectural – […]

» Read more

Camino Photo of the Day: the Incongruity of Saint-Fleuret d’Estaing

From my journal: “This is a grand church, with many beautiful, if over-the-top Baroque altars. And yet, the main altar is made apparently of plexiglass with mirrored sides. The ambo looks like it came out of a corporate conference room, and the seating for the clergy is stainless steel or possibly chrome. They all look cheap and easily broken. Impermanent […]

» Read more
1 4 5 6 7 8 251