by Riley Diffenderfer

 

During the weekend of September 24-25th, we took a group trip to Conques et to Gaillac, two incredibly beautiful and charming villages. It was a really fulfilling weekend because we learned so much about the “culte des saints” (worship of saints) in France and the life of catholic pilgrims in Conques. In Gaillac, there was a lot to learn about viticulture as well as wine production and tasting. The weather was beautiful, and the hilly countryside that rolled on for miles gave us a refreshing change from the city life of Toulouse.

We began the weekend on Saturday by taking the bus to Conques, and the gorgeous view outside the bus windows was a good preview for the hilly countryside and hike we were going to take in the town. Arriving in Conques, the rooms in the pilgrim’s hostel were assigned to us. We stayed in this hostel to have the experience of living and eating dinner aside real pilgrims walking on the path of Saint Jacques, an old pathway from the Middle Ages where the faithful walked to visit important religious sites and their saints’ relics. Conques was an important village on the path because of its numerous relics displayed in the abbey, including relics from Sainte Foy, the patron saint of Conques.

We hiked on the path of St. Jacques, the exact one taken by pilgrims of the Middle Ages, and halfway through we had lunch on a hillside, with a beautiful view of the village and countryside.

After having passed the day on the path, we went on a tour of the abbey of Sainte Foy with Monseiur Créma, one of our professors at the Dickinson Center who specializes in Middle Ages history. We learned a lot about the life of pilgrims and the history of the village and the relics held here.

Then, we had dinner with the other pilgrims staying in the hostel, where we had the opportunity to talk with the pilgrims. Some other students and I were sitting by a man from southern France who had already taken the saint’s path a couple of times. There were even German people in the hostel, and a woman from Canada as well. I was happy to have had the experience of talking with these people about their extensive pilgrimage trips and what it’s like to take the path.

The next day, we went to Gaillac to visit the vineyards of Monsieur Jean Albert, at the Domaine de Labarthe. He showed us how to make wine, and the stages of production. It was really interesting to have the perspective of an independent viticulteur who has a family business that stretches back for numerous generations.

 

The wine tasting after was interesting, where we learned exactly how to properly taste wine. (Letting air in the mouth is really important to experiencing the full taste of the wine!) I bought a few bottles of my favorites to share with my host family back in Toulouse and to keep and share with friends and family when I get back to the U.S. It really was a great weekend with good weather, good company, and some incredibly beautiful countryside to see.

A few pictures of Conques in the morning mist

by Graham Block