Trileigh & Rob's Most Excellent Sabbatical Log

Chateau St. Julien l'Ars near Poitiers

Serendipity: Before leaving Paris, on Saturday night in the Latin Quartier, we were looking at a church when this older couple just walks up and says, "There's a concert here at 8:30." Well it turns out they had the wrong date, but we chatted a bit anyhow, whereupon it turns out they are from Tacoma, touring with the PLU Chorale and would be singing in Notre Dame at the 11:30 mass the next morning. So we chat some more and trade names and when Trileigh says "Trileigh Tucker," the fellow comes right back with "Formerly Trileigh Stroh?" After jaws drop, it turns out that he'd participated in some of Tri's soirees some 10 years ago. So naturally then, we headed for mass at Notre Dame that Sunday morning. We were so concerned with getting there early enough to beat the crowds that we were in time for the earlier mass -- a wonderful high-Gregorian event. We moved into almost-front-row seats for the 11:30 mass, which was quite something, and the choir was excellent. Also I don't know what it is about French organists; they seem to have a license to play the most edgy, modern, really wild stuff, and nobody seems to bat an eye. You would never hear this forward a music in any service in the states.

Finally we take our leave of Paris, where Peggy had made it so very easy to stay. We noodle on down toward the Loire Valley, and end up spending the night in a cute medieval town with the unpreposessing name of Meung. And then on down through the major chateau country to Chambord, in its full Disney-esque ostentation, and finally into the chateau of St. Julien l'Ars currently run by Nash Gubelman of Pacific Crest School.

But ultimately, the scene at the chateau, while serene, is kind of a bit down in the heels (understandably after 8 centuries or so). Nash has an amazing job on his hands. So we end up deciding not to stay as long as we might have thought, complete change of "plans" really, and are going to just head east, into the Massif Central, and see what we find. The adventure becomes entirely improvisational at this point!

posted by robduisberg @ 2:11 AM