Climbing Taillefer

[poliphilo]

Following morning- Sunday morning- I climbed the hill behind the house. As far as I can make out, it's called Taillefer and it's over 600 metres. Part way up there's a grotto dedicated to Notre Dame du Duingt or- as she's variously called- Notre Dame du Lac. Which in English (lets spell it out) is The Lady of the Lake. I love the fringes of Roman Catholicism- where it shades off into Paganism- and even Animism.
 
A little higher up there's a statue of St Michael- spearing a rather fishy devil. He is so positioned against trees and sky as to be almost impossible to photograph.

I had no intention- on starting out- of going all the way to the top, but I'm ridiculously proud of myself  for managing it. Standing on the snowy summit I felt like Hilary and/or Tensing.













Because it was there...

Comments

[aellia.livejournal.com]

Do you kow how long the statue has been there?
It looks quite modern.
It's lovely and well done for your epic climb!
x

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think the statue- which seems to be ceramic- must be quite modern. 1950s perhaps? I like it. So many representations of Mary are sickly sweet- and this one isn't.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Lovely representation of Mary though she is very un-Mary-like in a traditional sense. Good observation about the Lady of the Lake!

You have every right to be proud of climbing that "hill"!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think she's meant to represent Mary at the moment of receiving the angel's news- the Mary of the Magnificat.

Yeah- 600 metres- not bad for a 59 year old who doesn't take much exercise!

[sovay]

I had no intention- on starting out- of going all the way to the top, but I'm ridiculously proud of myself for managing it.

I'm envious. It looks like a magnificent view!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The view was probably at its best half-way up, but there's nothing to beat that feeling of coming off the path and realising there's nothing more above you.