Awakening To The Music In St Sulpice

Bonjour mes amis,

Comment êtes-vous aujourd’hui ?  I hope you’re all well and ready to be inspired by France.

Last time, we passed the Palais de Luxumberg, admired the colossal Pantheon, were blest at Saint Etienne next door and headed off to Saint Sulpice, the church made popular in a recent best selling book, ‘The Da Vinci Code”.

I noticed that some people have tried to carve out some of the actual granite stone flooring around the base of what is referred to as the Meridian Line Obelisk, since last I stepped foot inside St Sulpice. Intriguing for all Da Vinci Code followers but albeit over the top for such a sacred space.

St Sulpice remains one of the largest chuches in Paris, with its own 

Metro stop these days. It was originally built over ancient ruins.  Did you know that the famous poet and Romantic writer Victor Hugo (who wrote ‘Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame and many more)  married his neighbour’s daughter, Adele Foucher, in St Sulpice? ( They later had five children like me!) I read somewhere that Victor’s brother went insane after their wedding as he was also in love with Adele.Hmnn.

Excerpts from my book reads…

…’Candles were aglow and the preparation for an Easter Vigil was taking place within the silence of St Sulpice.

It’s interesting to see that all the chairs in French churches remind me of the very same type depicted in Vincent Van Gogh’s famous yellow Chair” painting of 1888.I am told by locals that French women still hand weave the rush chair bottoms, in a little village along the Rhone River near Avignon, from the rush that grows wild along its banks….’

So, sit back on one of these chairs, close your eyes and listen to some amazing pipe organ music made by Daniel Roth from above. No, not from Heaven, but in the loft. Even better, go up there after the 10.30am mass and let the music waft through your senses. Amazing.

Perhaps you could even spare a thought for all those unfortunate French who Victor Hugo wrote about… If not, the music alone is really  impressive.

Au Revoir.

Best Wishes, Therese Waddell