 |
|
|
|
|
onjour!
This month, we have chosen to devote our newsletter to Brittany, a region that you are probably familiar with. Many have strolled
along the small streets of its typical villages, entered its austere churches and followed the banks of its little fishing seaports.
However, Brittany is also and above all a land of legends and cults. For the druids, the forest of Broceliande was a place of
predilection and the scene of numerous exploits as mysterious as they were wonderful.
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
|
 |
 |
|
The Paimpont Forest, Heir to Primeval Broceliande
|
A long time ago, inhabitants of neighboring Great Britain fled the Anglo-Saxon invasions to Armorica, which they baptized
«Little Brittany ». Apparently, back then, the entire region was covered with this dark and deep forest.
|
 |
| |
The Abbey of Paimpont, Brittany
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
If only they could talk, all the beech, oak, birch, chesnut and fir trees would have many stories to tell, involving wicked
fairies and unhappy lords. The forest today, although less expansive than it once was, is still just as dense, and the lords
have not all vanished. They still hunt stags, deer and wild boars, without any worries of being bewitched. It is a haven of
peace, as quiet as it is secretive. The undergrowth rustles with the whispering wind. While the canopy reaches 656 feet and
presides over the massif, the mischievous spirit of the undergrowth proudly conceals the darkest of legends, such as that of
the “Val-sans-retour”, or "Valley-of-no-Return".
|
|
|
|
The Valley-of-No-Return, Gateway to the World of Legends
|
|
Now here is a worrisome sanctuary! Sounding like laughing elves, babbling streams used the impermeability of the soil to
dig valleys that are buried in the fog. There, the rocks are red and the waters turbulent and deep. Paths multiply to
transform into a labyrinth which was the domain of Morgan le Fay. This wicked fairy, King Arthur’s half-sister, would
lure fickle knights there where she would imprison them in an air bubble or petrify them. “The Faithless Lovers Rock”,
one of the most famous such petrifactions, dominates the valley. It was a one-way journey for anyone who met this fairy
so disappointed in affairs of the heart. Motivated by his unconditional love for Queen Guinevere, Sir Lancelot braved
many dangers to break the poor souls free from the evil spell. At the entrance to the Valley-of-No-Return, the “Fairy
Mirror” pond will take an enchanting hold on you. Beyond its reflecting waters beckons the mysterious world of legends.
|
|
|
Recipe for January 2006
|
|
|
|
Prune Flan from Brittany
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Golden Tree, a True Message of Love between Myth and Reality
|
|
| |
What sad legend might be behind this majestic golden tree? Was it an evil spell, the symbol of a quest,
a just a magic chestnut tree? The golden tree is actually a token of true solidarity.
 |
|
The Golden Tree, Forest of Broceliande
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
|
In 1990, the Valley-of-No-Return burned for 5 days. After the fire, thousands of donations poured in from all over the
world to save the Valley’s mythical heritage. In 1991, to pay tribute to this international cooperation, a Parisian sculptor,
François Davin, created “The Gold of Broceliande”, an enormous golden chestnut tree, with pure gold leaves. It symbolizes
the immortality of the dreams of men of goodwill. Its branches evoke the antlers of stags, the wild animals who led the
knights through the enchanted forests. Myths aside, the golden tree is there to remind us of the power of man’s love over
Mother Nature.
|
|
|
|
| |
The Barenton Spring
|
|
| |
Cut into the ground only a few feet deep, this little basin 6½ feet wide has the peculiarity of releasing nitrogen
bubbles from its waters. This phenomenon common in marshes gave the spring the name “Bubbling ice-cold water fountain”.
According to Arthurian legend, it was in this setting that inspired such sweet melancholy that Merlin
|
 |
The False Lovers' Rock, Forest of Broceliande
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
met the fairy Vivian and fell madly in love with her. Later on, this strange source that could cause
storms to break was kept by a fantastic black knight. According to some medieval local myths, the
guardian was no less than an ogre with a bull’s head, elephant ears, the eyes of an owl, the mouth
of a wolf, and the teeth of a wild boar…Enough to knock the wind out of you! In 1467, the “Charter
for the Uses and Customs of the Broceliande Forest” stated that Guy de Laval, Lord of Comper and
owner of the spring, was the only one authorized to set off storms. Processions to Barenton to ask
the clouds for this particular favor multiplied up until 1954, and were supposedly always rewarded
with a darkened sky that generously released downpours.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Spring of Youth
|
|
| |
The Spring of Youth seems pretty modest in size compared to the Barenton Spring. It might even seem insignificant
if it weren’t so bewitching.
 |
|
The Mysterious Spring of Youth
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
Indeed, this little spring just above the ground has a much greater faculty than the ability to make it rain. Its water
has the amazing power to give youth back to anyone who drinks it. Many legends born from the Quest for the Holy Grail
credited certain waters with this ability to give eternal life. In fact, the first mention of such a power appears in
the Bible. This fountain is originally found in the Garden of Eden where it allowed bodies to preserve their youth and
beauty. In the Arthurian legend, this source allowed wizards to live for centuries without having to suffer the mark of
time. Eventually forgotten, it was Sir Lancelot who kept this treasure for a while, thereby preserving his strength and
robustness for the final battle at his King’s side. At the time of the druids, oddly enough, this trickle of water was
used for baptisms and to take a census of the children born in the year. When a child was left out, he or she was counted
the following year…and made one year younger in the process.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
Merlin’s Tomb, the Soul of Broceliande |
|
| |
Just like those who set out on the sacred quest for the Grail chalice, you can set out to search and discover Merlin’s tomb in Broceliande.
According to ancient tales, Merlin’s disturbing powers came from his own father who, it was said, was none other than the
Devil himself. At once sorcerer, seer and prophet, he was therefore neither a man nor a god. He could see what simple mortals
could not, could disappear and take on thousands of different appearances. As a druid friend and advisor, he guided the young
King Arthur who unified the kingdom by instituting the order of the Knights of the Round Table. The dolmen that provided shelter
for the famous magician is no longer as imposing as it once was. There are only a couple of standing stones left in this mythical
place where, according to legend, the famous Merlin was imprisoned forever by the enchantress Vivian. While these modest remnants
might be a disappointment to older enthusiasts, they are sure to please children. Every year, thousands of flowers, bracelets
and poems cover the mysterious grave.
|
|
|
| |
The Holy Grail: The Ultimate Quest, for the Knights of the Round Table
|
|
| |
It was Merlin who advised the young King Arthur to recover the Grail, that sacred and hidden object credited with such
magical properties as the power to grant immortality, but also the power to bring peace and harmony between people.
According to the legend, the Grail was the chalice from which the Christ drank during the Last Supper with the apostles,
 |
|
The Fairy's Mirror, Forest of Broceliande
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
as well as the vessel that collected his blood during the crucifixion. The King put up a circular table around which
the most courageous knights of his kingdom gathered. It was round so that all were equals facing the King, with no
other distinction than their individual accomplishments. Only the purest among them could find the Grail and place
it in the center of the table. The church at Trehorenteuc, deeply nested in the forest of Broceliande, is probably
the place that most vividly recaptures the past Quest for the Holy Grail. A spiritual yet also cryptic message was
left above the southern porch: “The door is inwards”. Did this refer to the Church, or one’s own faith as the source
of the answers? This haven of peace unifies representations of Christian faith, Celtic traditions, and Arthurian
legends into one art form. This church is one of the tiniest you’ll find in Morbihan, and while it may serve as a
small museum for the Round Table epic, it remains above all a center for meditation and daydreaming.
|
|
|
|
| |
An Invitation to Travel |
|
| |
You will find the enchanted forest of Broceliande, the territory of Merlin the Magician and the Knights of the Round Table, at the
boundaries of the “Ile et Vilaine” and “Morbihan” departments, 31 miles west of Rennes. It remains a place of pilgrimage
for enthusiastic equestrians and hikers lured by its secretive nature. What a pleasure it is to see the round full moon,
as shiny as a silver chalice, reflecting in the tranquil waters of the pond at the Paimpont abbey. In the distance, the
dark forest of Broceliande nods to you, shrouded in mystery. This newsletter covers the first stop of a journey that will
let you discover or rediscover Brittany, such a picturesque region with such a unique character.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
