image-in-ing

The beautiful basilica in Paray le Monial

Here are a few photos from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As with some of the other cathedrals we saw in France, this one was completed over centuries, with the architecture evolving over time. As result, different sides of the church show a completely different character. But it is all so beautiful!

Wandering around the beautiful city of Metz

Metz is located in the heart of the Lorraine region; it is in the northeast of France close to its borders with Germany and Luxembourg.The lovely Moselle and Seille rivers meet at Metz. It is a historic city; written records of its past date back over 2000 years.

Metz Cathedral, a gothic masterpiece known as "The Lantern of God"

Continuing our tour of France, we travelled to Metz, a beautiful city in northeastern France. It was the home of Caroline Carre de Malberg, the foundress of the Daughters of Saint Francis de Sales.

Chateau de Thorens, a de Sales family home

One of the sites we visited in France is a chateau which is still owned by the family of Saint Francis de Sales in Thorens, France. Francis came from a family of means and his father dreamed of him becoming a lawyer. Although he finished his education in both civil and canon law, he followed his dream of becoming a priest.

Yep. A moat and a drawbridge.

We were met by the regional directress of the Daughters of St. Francis de Sales. She is pictured
her with our tour guide, Maria, who served as translator when language barriers impeded
communication. Maria speaks six languages and was a marvelous guide for our tour.

A portion of the kitchen...

...and the "dishwasher".

These are two portraits of St. Francis de Sales. The one on the left may be familiar to you.
The one on the right shows him toward the end of his life.

The beautiful XVI church "Eglise Saint Michel" in Dijon, France

Wishing you much joy at Christmas!

Beaune: in the heart of the Burgundy region of France

The old city of Beaune is surrounded by a wall built for defense in medieval times. It's a key wine center and the location of the most important wine auction held annually in France.

A portion of the wall which surrounds the old city since medieval times.

The wall itself is less than 2 miles in length.

The Hostel-Dieu was built in the 15th century and used as a hospital for indigent people. It was in
continuous use as a hospital until the 1970's, at which point it was converted to a museum. It is
considered to be a fine example of Renaissance architecture.