Modernity and Heritage – Kristen Cunningham

An aspect of France that I have always found to be interesting is the cultural tension between modernity and the patrimony. This tension is quite evident in the town of Conques, a small medieval town that has become a tourist destination. It is very strange, even for the tourists, to see souvenir stores selling Chinese-made goods between houses that were built in the fifteenth century. In the nearby town of Rodez, there is a church that represents this exchange between modern life and history; the stained-glass windows in this church are quite interesting because they are a combination of the typical style and the more modern style. This picture is an example of the more modern; the traditional stained-glass windows depict religious scenes and use a lot of colors while explaining the event. The modern style is very different as itdepicts blood molecules. It is strange to see the two different styles in the same church, but it is a good representation of France’s history living with the modernity.