#Cathédrale de Wells

[parkstone-international]

La sens et la spiritualité poétiques de l'architecture gothique anglaise

– Crédit vidéo d’introduction : Drone Video of Duomo di Milano Cathedral video of Kmeel Stock from Pexels.– Crédit vidéo : Vidéo de la cathédrale de Ambient_Nature_Atmosphere de Pixabay. Le texte ci-dessous est l’extrait du livre La splendeur de l’architecture gothique anglaise (ISBN: 9781783108923) écrit par John Shannon Hendrix, publié par Parkstone International. L’enjeu de ce livre est…

[fannyrosie]

Le temps des cathédrales

On my birthday (August 3rd), I went to see Notre-Dame-de-Paris with my mom and sister at la Place des arts. As someone who's been listening to it since 1998 (and read the novel later), it truly felt like I've missed out on seeing it live, especially since I saw the biggest France/Québec musicals from the early 2000s when they came out (namely, Roméo et Juliette, Don Juan and Dracula), as well as Starmania (not when it came out, obviously). Even though the current Notre-Dame-de-Paris show isn't with the original cast (except for Daniel Lavoie!), it was really amazing.

Of course, me being me, I did a themed outfit.

Outfit rundown Dress: second-hand Moi-même-Moitié Bustier: second-hand Victorian Maiden Blouse: La petite garçonne Bag: second-hand Moi-même-Moitié Shoes: Yosuke Headdress: handmade by me Jewellery: mix of vintage, Design Festa, second-hand Moi-même-Moitié and thrifted

[sissylittlefeather]

Introducing:

Vivian Choquette

A new OC for the upcoming fic Your Love's Been a Long Time Coming.

Headcannons:

- Born in 1940, she's 19 when she meets Elvis

- Her mother, Delphine, was French and she never knew her father. Her mother was a dancer and she married Vivian's stepfather, Roland Everett, an American officer, during WWII in 1945. Delphine passed away when Vivian was 14. Now, she lives with her stepfather where he's stationed in Germany.

- She speaks English and French fluently and knows how to communicate in German fairly well.

- She smokes, drinks, and cusses like a sailor, but there's an elegance and grace to her that seems to make everyone forget how crude she can be.

- She writes poetry in English and French and is obsessed with reading, specifically literary criticism, philosophy, poetry, and classic literature.

- She's also an actress, a singer, and plays the piano.

- Her aesthetic is romantic academia and her favorite colors are light pink and mint green.

- Her birthday is February 26th, making her a Pisces.

- She's an outgoing introvert, meaning she loves to work the room at a party, but she also needs time alone to recover from the interaction.

- Her first love was a boy in high school who wrote poetry and played the violin. He promised to marry her, took her virginity, and then disappeared.

- She's a hopeless romantic who is obsessed with all things related to love and the beauty of human connection. She thinks people are poetry and nature is spiritual.

- Her hair is dark brown, her eyes are deep blue, and she's 5'2" tall. Her build is petite and slender and her hands and feet are small and almost fairy-like.

- Despite her French blood, she prefers American food. Still, she herself cannot cook to save her life. She's been known to burn toast and struggle with boiling eggs.

- The other thing she cannot do is any kind of visual art. She can't paint, draw, or sculpt and finds it infinitely frustrating.

- She has a quick, short temper and will explode easily and then forget why she was mad ten minutes later. She also has a sense of melancholy about her and when she's in a mood can spend hours weeping over a sad song or poem.

- She loves music, but her exposure is fairly limited to classical and pop. Her favorite music is her mother's collection of Claude Debussy, specifically Clair de Lune and La Cathédrale Engloutie.

- All in all, she's like a summer thunderstorm, beautiful, chaotic, calming, and poetic all wrapped into one.

******

Stay tuned to meet her as Elvis does

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taglist:

@ccab @aliypop @your-nanas-house @rjmartin11 @elvisfatass @tacozebra051

Let me know if you want to be tagged in her fic!

[theroyalthornoliachronicles]

La Cathédrale de Thornolie: 27 Mai 1850: 11:45

Monseigneur Oliver: You seem nervous.

Comte de Montavin: [Scoffs] Don't be ridiculous. I'm just ready for this to be over and done with.

Monseigneur Oliver: [Smirks] That eager to finish what you started?

Comte de Montavin: [Chuckles] You are the last person I'd expect to hear such a jab. That's usually Ernest's territory.

Monseigneur Oliver: Considering he is sitting in the pews and not standing beside you, someone had to carry the torch.

Comte de Montavin: Amusing...

Monseigneur Oliver: You do realise it is alright to be nervous? If I were standing where you are now I definitely would be.

Comte de Montavin: Now you truly are being ridiculous. You mean to tell me you'd be nervous to marry her? Did you not just finally kiss the girl?

Monseigneur Oliver: I'm not so sure she'll accept my proposal.

Comte de Montavin: I find it incredibly unlikely she would reject you.

Monseigneur Oliver: I wish I shared your faith. I've done all I can to persaude her of my affections, to convince her to tell me what has changed between us, but she refuses at every turn.

Comte de Montavin: Hmm...and here I thought Ernest's grumblings about her perculiar behaviour to be rather unfounded.

Monseigneur Oliver: Quoi?

Comte de Montavin: I probably shouldn't say anything, but according to Ernest last we spoke he's mentioned her looking scared. Terrified even.

Monseigneur Oliver: Of what?

Comte de Montavin: Je ne sais pas. Ernest says he's not been very successful either in uncovering the matter. He said the last time he tried she turned that temper of hers on him...even I can admit that's peculiar coming from her.

Monseigneur Oliver: I see...

[Organ Begins to Sound, Congregation Stands]

Comte de Montavin: Well...it appears my time has finally...

Comte de Montavin: Run out...

Previous | Beginning | Next

(Shoutout to @buzzardly28 for helping me perfect Giselle's wedding outfit! Such a superstar! <3 )

[armagnac-army]

The Marriage of Jean-Baptiste Bessières (@bayard-de-la-garde) and Jean Lannes (@armagnac-army)

—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—

This is absolutely not a traditional 19th century Gascon wedding, occuring in this afterlife reflection of the Cathédrale Saint-Etienne in Murat's realm. This is a hasty affair born out of stubborn pride and a melancholic longing for connection, in much the same way that hedgehogs have their little dilemmas. There are no proud parents of the wedded couple here, no dowries in wooden chests, no crowns or clogs or millet in shoes or joining of two families. Not that a wedding actually fulfilled the promise of joining two families, as Lannes thought to himself moodily. But this was no place for such thoughts- this was the place to show that stupid Bessières just how good of a husband he could be! There probably wasn't a traditional procession on a traditional Gascon cart towards the church. Probably. But there was an open bar and lots of alcohol, which is very important.

Standing by on this groom's side is ADC Subervie who has two nearly empty wineglasses in his hand, as well as Marshal Bessières and Marshal Soult of the Army of the Beyond- though the latter is, uh, currently much younger than usual, about 8 years old and also has no idea what is going on. But he does look very smart in his now tailored tiny uniform, and he's just quietly staring at everything that's going on, his attention wandering off in the way that young ones often do in events as these. Marshal Bessières, for his part, has a face of serene blankness on his face, as if events are simply occurring around him that are absolutely not his fault. Anyway, it's time for the vows, and it's time for the roi de Naples - @your-dandy-king - to make his statement and questions!

—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—

Of course, you too can be here at this wonderful marriage, but do hold your presence and commentary until the vows have been exchanged. You'll know when that happens!

—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—·—

[empiredesimparte]

The entire imperial family before the coronation

The order was given at the Tuileries Palace: the whole family was to gather for the coronation festivities of H.I.M Emperor Napoléon V. This rare gathering in the heart of Paris gave rise to a colorful family photo. Some journalists are also linking the photo to Louis Simparte's recent articles against the imperial family. Is Emperor Napoléon V preparing a media counter-attack?

From left to right: Princess Amélie, Princess Marianne, Prince Philippe (2nd in order of succession), Madame Hortense, Empress Charlotte of the French, Emperor Napoléon V of the French, Madame Mère Marie-Joséphine, Princess Armance, Imperial Prince Henri of the French (1st in order of succession), Princess-Napoléon Olympia and Princess Sophie.

Imperial Prince Henri of the French has unexpectedly become heir to the crown once again. Less popular and well-known than Emperor Napoléon V and Madame Hortense, the imperial family is certainly preparing its return to the media and political scene. Prince Henri may seem like a man of many secrets, but he's actually more accessible than his late brother, Emperor Napoléon IV.

Few details are known about the preparations for the festivities, but many Parisians have noticed the extensive work being carried out on Notre-Dame Cathedral.

⚜ Traduction française

La famille impériale au complet avant le sacre

L'ordre a été lancé au palais des Tuileries : toute la famille doit se réunir à l'occasion des festivités du couronnement de l'Empereur Napoléon V. Ce rassemblement rare au cœur de Paris a donné lieu a une photo familiale colorée. Certains journalistes font également le lien entre cette photo et les récents articles de Louis Simparte à l'encontre de la famille impériale. L'Empereur Napoléon V prépare-t-il une contre-attaque médiatique ?

De gauche à droite : la princesse Amélie, la princesse Marianne, le prince Philippe (2e dans l'ordre de succession), Madame Hortense, l'Impératrice Charlotte des Français, l'Empereur Napoléon V des Français, Madame Mère Marie-Joséphine, la princesse Armance, le prince impérial Henri des Français (1er dans l'ordre de succession), la princesse-Napoléon Olympia et enfin la princesse Sophie.

De manière inattendue, le prince impérial Henri des Français est redevenu l'héritier de la Couronne. Moins populaire et connu que l'Empereur Napoléon V et Madame Hortense, la famille impériale prépare certainement son retour sur la scène médiatique et politique. Le prince Henri a beaucoup de secrets en apparence, mais il est en réalité plus accessible que feu son frère, l'Empereur Napoléon IV.

Peu de détails sont connus concernant la préparation des festivités, mais beaucoup de parisiens ont remarqué les travaux conséquents réalisés à la cathédrale Notre-Dame.

[sparklepocalypse]

What day is it? It's RWRB Emmy FYC Event Day! Er, I mean, Wednesday! Thanks to the spectacular @myheartalivewrites, @cha-melodius, @priincebutt, @duchessdepolignaca03, @thinkof-england for the tags!

I have written approximately four paragraphs since Sunday, and I'm dubious about the quality of every single one. Still, have another himbo!Alex snippet! Well, more than a snippet, less than a chonk. A chonklet?

Retrieving his tea, Henry settles on the bench and opens the piano’s fall board. He sets his cup on the end table, briefly massages his palms and knuckles, and then begins to play a warmup exercise, allowing his mind to float along the cadence of arpeggios and chords. He searches his memory for a piece that might suit a quiet, sunny morning. Debussy’s Préludes spring to mind, and soon, the tinkling melody of Book 1’s La fille aux cheveux de lin rises in the otherwise still room.  Henry finishes the piece and transitions into La cathédrale engloutie, closing his eyes. He leans into the second, grander motif, and the music swells, each chord resonating through the rafters. When Henry lifts his hands from the keys and places them in his lap a few brief minutes later, he starts at the sound of a throat clearing and twists on the piano bench to see who’s entered the sunroom. “Sorry,” Alex says sheepishly. “Didn’t mean to scare you.” He gives Henry an apologetic smile, his face bleary, his hair still sleep-rumpled. He’s barefoot, wearing soft-looking shorts and a tee shirt, and looks far younger than his years in the bright morning sun. “It’s fine,” Henry replies quickly. “I tend to get into it a bit.” He picks up his teacup and takes a bolstering sip. “How did you sleep? Was the room comfortable?” “Like a log,” Alex replies. He gestures at the piano. “How long have you been playing? I had no idea you even could.” Henry huffs a laugh. “Music is one of the genteel refinements expected of a prince, but it’s generally not advertised as such. I’ve been playing since I was four.” Alex whistles appreciatively. “Jesus, that’s some child prodigy shit,” he says, and Henry feels his cheeks flush at his words. “Do you enjoy it?” “I’d have given up at least a decade ago if I didn’t,” Henry replies with a shrug. Unlike some aspects of his upbringing, music is and has always been a sustaining force. “I actually came in to see if you wanted breakfast,” Alex admits after a beat. “Something tells me that cooking wasn’t one of those princely refinements.” The way he pronounces the words makes Henry snort in amusement. “It’s rude to stereotype,” Henry says dryly. “That’s not a no,” Alex points out, matching Henry’s tone. 

Y'all know the drill by now -- my tag is always open. Still, I'm gonna cold call @orchidscript, @happiness-of-the-pursuit, @hgejfmw-hgejhsf, @kiwiana-writes, and @anincompletelist today. 🥰

[your-dandy-king]

Something Old, Something New

Previously: The Prince and the Hunter (1, 2, 3, 4)

Here, in the domain of the King of Naples, except for one day of the year, the sun never sets. Except for one day of the year, the weather is reminiscent of the last days of spring, before the heat of summer rises.

Like time captured in a bottle, the domain of the King of Naples is the village of Cahors as he had known it in his youth, when he'd been sent there to attend school. There is the ancient bridge over the River Lot called the Pont Valentre where he and the young Bessières would spend long hours dangling fishing lines off of on those days they were free to roam. And the Cathédrale Saint-Etienne, already nearly a millennium old before either of them had been born. The town jail known as the Château de Roi, and the Église Saint-Barthélemy, and the old watermill, the Moulin St-James.

The Cahors of Murat's memory hugs the eastern side of the U-shaped bend of the River Lot. And if one takes time to watch, an observer may see the intrusions. For the Domain of Murat is but a layer, a separate dimension, if one will. It is the land of the dead, the past, and ghosts, separated by a porous boundary from the world of the living.

The land of the living intrudes upon the land of the dead. Like bright afterimages, the immaterial shapes of artifacts and people from the present Age of Man glimmer briefly and vanish. One of those self-propelled carriages called a car, or a moped, or perhaps a lost pair of tourists leave behind luminous impressions upon the land of the dead. Stop to stare through a glassmakers' shop window from Murat's time, and one might find it suddenly replaced by the large windows of a shop hawking mysterious and arcane artifacts from the Present Age. And then, just as quickly, the shop front will revert once more.

Some artifacts from the Present Age, and the ages before, will find their way into the domain of the King of Naples, slipping through the cracks in reality between worlds. People are as ever forgetful, and they forget where they leave their wallets, their passports, their keys, their precious jewelry. They forget them, they lose them, and these artifacts turn up in Murat's domain. The crypt beneath the Cathédrale Saint-Etienne is well-stocked and open to any of his fellow dead who might think they might have something there they may need or want.

So too locations and buildings that may not have been built during Murat's time as a living man also find their way into the land of the dead. Here is a central plaza, where the living hold festivals and gatherings. And at one end of the plaza is a tranquil fountain, where a bronze statue of Neptune presides over a natural spring. Squint, and you might see the living world, shimmering like mirages in the desert, two statues flanking the spring's entrance: a statue of Joachim Murat, and a statue of Jean-Baptiste Bessières.

( @rapports-de-combat, @le-fils)

[derniererondeavantlanuit-blog]

La cathédrale de Wells

[hisdhampir]

"I Want to Explore...History!"

PART I OF THE "I'm Bored" SERIES

Hello everyone! And welcome to part I of the "I'm Bored" series I made in collaboration with @alvaconsumesmedia!

Below you will find a list of different historical content I personally recommend you research and consume if you find yourself bored and wanting to explore the world of history!

If you have any questions about this list, want more information about a person or event than is listed, or wish to make a recommendation as to what should be added, send me a message to my ask box!!

HISTORY TOPICS TO RESEARCH:

[LIST] The Sumerians, Reading Recs.・located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia, emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC were the Sumerians - the oldest recorded civilzation in the entire world....also they invented writing, literature, and beer, so you know they were fun.

The Sedlec Ossuary・also known as the Church of Bones, the Sedlec Ossuary, located in the Czech Republic, is one of the most unusual chapels you will ever see as it is decorated with the real bones of some 40,000 people.

The Great Molasses Flood of 1917・if an inescapable tsunami wave of molasses charging 35 miles per hour toward you seems impossible...you should have been there to see it in Boston in 1919.

The Mouse Utopia Experiments・if you ever wondered what the horrifying real story that inspired The Rats of NIMH was...well you've found it here.

Subtropolis・SubTropolis is a business complex located 150 feet underground in an artificial cave in the bluffs north of the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri made out of an old mine that was, at one time, supposed to be an amusement park.

The Dancing Plague of 1518・a plague that hit the town of Strasbourg in 1515 that caused as many as 400 people to dance until they died.

The Demonic Possessions of Loudun・The best-known case of possession in Western European history took place in the French town of Loudun at the Church of Saint Peter where no nun was safe from demon possession.

The Tower of Silence・A dakhma, also known as a Tower of Silence was a structure built by Zoroastrians made to store decomposing dead bodies to keep them away from the city as to avoid contamination of the soil.

The Game of Hounds and Jackals・a popular game played in 1805 by the Egyptians. A copy of the game can be found today in The Met.

The Bloody Bender Murders・in the 1870s the Bender family opened an Inn in Labette County in Kansas and began murdering people who came to visit.

ART HISTORY TOPICS TO RESEARCH:

The "Le génie du mal" and the "L’ange du mal"・the St. Paul Cathédrale de Liège in Belgium, once upon a time, hired two artists both to make statues of the Devil to place in their church and, unfortunately for the nuns of St. Paul Cathédrale de Liège they were done just a little too well.

Albert Kahn's Archive of The Planet・It was Kahn's dream to document the entire world via photography, from 1909 and 1931 his team dispatched to accomplish this goal. However, when the great depression hit his dreams were smashed.

HISTORICAL FIGURES TO RESEARCH:

Carvaggio・Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome, disliked by many during his time for his arrogance, his rebellious nature...oh yeah, and he was a murderer.

Violet Jessop・Violet Constance Jessop was an Irish-Argentine ocean liner stewardess and nurse in the early 20th century who managed to survive THREE shipwrecks in her time, including the titanic!

Kate Warne・Kate Warne was none other than the first female detective in the United States, who worked for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency - the same agency that inspired many of the original Sherlock novels.

Hatshepsut・Hatshepsut was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Thutmose II and, after his passing, was made the first ever Queen of Egypt...so why has no one ever heard of her?

Ching Shih・Zheng Yi Sao, also known as Shi Xianggu, Shek Yeung and Ching Shih, was the leader of the largest recorded pirate fleat to ever exist from 1801 to 1810 in China...also the pirate queen in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies was based on her...not really important but I think that's pretty cool.

Marie Vigoreaux・Marie Vigoreaux, was a French fortune teller and an active part of the famous Poison Affair of the 1670s.

Olga of Kiev・Olga was a regent of Kievan Rus' for her son Sviatoslav from 945 until 957 who is famously known for taking revenge on entire city by mass murdering them and then, after the deed was done, converted to Catholicism and becoming a patreon saint afterward...and, yes, she is still honored as a saint in Ukraine to this day

Wu Zetian・Wu Zetian, personal name Wu Zhao, was the first and only Empress of China, who ruled from 660 to 705 and she would do anything to ensure that she stayed in charge.

Julie D'Aubigny・Julie d'Aubigny, better known as Mademoiselle Maupin or La Maupin, was a French opera singer....but what's more exciting is that she was a bisexual, cross-dressing, swords-woman, and murderer.

Alexander the Great・Alexander the Great was the king of Macedonia (336–323 bce), who overthrew the Persian empire, carried Macedonian arms to India, and laid the foundations for the Hellenistic world of territorial kingdoms.

HOLLYWOOD HISTORY TO RESEARCH:

The Ava Gardner, Barbara Payton, Lana Turner Love Affair・known as the most scandalous love affair in Hollywood, Gardner, Payton, and Turner were secretly sleeping together for years....and Frank Sinatra was not happy about it.

NONFICTION HISTORICAL BOOKS TO READ:

[LIST] Medieval Religion, Reading Recs.・my list of reading recommendations to help you learn more about religion during the medieval ages.

ARTICLES TO READ:

"What Does God Smell Like?" by John Last・Unusual smells have been a distinguishing mark of holiness since the earliest days of Christian worship, so what is the smell of God?

That's all for history exploration! I hope that this helped you in curing your boredom! if you have any questions regarding anything discussed here or if you'd like to make a request to be added to the list, please send an ask to my ask box! I appreciate all comments and questions!

[frenchiefitzhere]

Do you have a favourite piece of art? What about it attracts your eyes to it?

There are a few that came to mind. One is The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and John the Baptist by Leonardo DaVinci. (I have a print of it hanging in my living room that I picked up at the National Gallery in London.) I don't talk about it much on Tumblr, but I'm pretty religious, so it means something to me in that respect, and I've always been drawn to images that refer to Jesus's humanity. I also love Auguste Rodin. The Gates of Hell will always be impressive to me just for the sheer amount of work that went into it, but I really, really love La Cathédrale because it's the kind of smaller piece that can just grab you as you're passing by in a museum. And the Musée Rodin in Paris is one of my favorite museums. Other sculptures I like include Apollo and Daphne by Bernini at the Galleria Borghese because the movement in it is just breathtaking. And Jean de La Fontaine in the Louvre is quirky and adorable and I think it's fun how many animals were worked into the sculpture. There's also a piece by Jay DeFeo that I won't list specifically by name because it would pretty much dox me, but I will always go out of my way to look at it again given the chance. My actual favorite piece is also one that I can't share for fearing of doxing myself because it's by my cousin who passed away. It's a black and white etching that I will always love because it's beautiful and grotesque, which is something he always balanced so well in his art. My printmaker cousin actually inspired my purchase of this piece (painted woodcut) from a little gallery in Ketchikan, Alaska: Owl Looking Out Over the Land by Karen Olanna , which I wanted because I've gotten to the point in my life that when I travel, I don't want to buy a bunch of dumb shit souvenirs that will end up in the trash someday: I'd rather invest in one thing that's truly unique. I love how the animals form the coast of the Pacific Northwest and, again, it's amazing to me how so much movement happens in a static piece of art. And the colors are doing their thing, too.

P.S. Also: everything anyone has ever made me as a commission or a gift or as fanart 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[maryeve-the-bitch]

The masterpiece

Get the Italian version as well.

[courjetsetting]

Ah, le Musée Rodin! One of my favorite places in Paris, and in fact the only one that I have made a point of revisiting (I would go to la Cathédrale de Notre-Dame again, as well, but it is closed due to restoration work)!! I look forward to my time here, to pass a pensive yet peaceful afternoon in a sculpture garden!

Well, the vast majority of the garden is inaccessible. Renumeration, I suppose, has taken the form of this gaudy façade, sponsored by Dior. I will admit that the inner art exhibit, displaying works inspired by Faith Ringgold, was excellent!! It introduced diverse textures, ideas, and subjects to a space primarily inhabited by bronze sculptures of white men!

Regardless, the entire mood of my visit was solidly interrupted. The inelegance of this structure brought on a strong bout of cheekiness, even when considering that I never wear pants!!

This seems to be quite the heavy burden...!

I shall sit in, to fill the lack of paint!! Alas, there is nothing I can provide in lieu of a brush... I wonder, what happened to it??

I cannot help but notice, this statue is missing a prop- a lawnmower, judging by his posture! His expression supports this hypothesis; I would also look quite grumpy, if I had to landscape nude!!

I would never dare to leave a fellow hanging!!

"I am certain that, if you were to calm down and simply communicate with the other artist, they would forgive you for having stolen their brush!!"

Three heads are better than one!! Although, I do sincerely appreciate this glimpse at Rodin's artistic process- these are his drafts, for the monument of Victor Hugo!

My, how la Porte de l'Enfer strikes terror into my soul!! It is replete with fabulous detail, reminding viewers of what may await on the other side of the doors, through allusions to the Divine Comedy!

Smote for my irreverence!! Smite me anew- I dare thee!- for admitting I had fun, and thrice! For I would do it all again!! (June 26)

[nixariel]

More trivia! (this time with Extra Maps™)

For interest's sake I was trying to figure out where in Poitiers Cleo’s hôtel particulier might be, plus identify the train stations featured during Carmen's trip to Paris—and I think I’ve figured (most of) it out.

First of all, Carmen is supposed to be fifty yards from the townhouse in this shot.

That puts the building somewhere on the east side of the River Clain, slightly north of the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Poitiers, but not too far from what looks like the Pont Joubert (the little bridge in the lower right corner). The Caserne d’Aboville (barracks for the 9e Brigade d'Infanterie de Marine) would be a reasonable stand-in for location, and even looks a little similar in terms of architectural style.

The station Carmen flies in to also bears a more-than-passing resemblance to the real Gare de Poitiers

but the pattern of terrain she passes over doesn’t quite fit with what appears to be a southerly approach.

However! This particular background gets rotated and recycled about ten seconds after initial use (left being its first appearance, rotated for comparison; right is unaltered but from ten seconds later), and if we go by the second version,

the curve of the river is a close-enough fit for having taken a path like so

with the little arrow being her upcoming destination, the Gare de Poitiers. Unfortunately I could not match the station Carmen’s train briefly stops at to a real location en route to Paris

so if anyone recognizes it, please let me know! Which leads me to the other ‘???’ moment I had while working on this because

...yeah. Yeah, I’ve got NO idea what’s going on with Player’s map here. He's got France oriented in the usual 'up is north' way, but that just makes it weirder? Because by that compass, Carmen is moving south—even though Paris is east and NORTH of Poitiers.

Though this show does get a little fuzzy with its geography at times*cough*Interpol's HQ is in LYON*coughcough*and Devineaux’s conspiracy map has the Canary Islands on the WRONG side of Africa*cough*

Anyway, after Player regains Carmen’s signal, her GPS marker is heading in approximately the right direction

answering exactly zero questions about where it was going earlier, but all’s well that still ends (somehow) in Paris, I guess? The Gare du Nord then looks to be the best match for where Carmen makes her exit

even if all direct trains from Poitiers to Paris seem to go to Gare Montparnasse instead.

Update: this seems to have turned into a bit of a series, so check the reblogs to get an episode-by-episode for the rest of S1! A full-show overview is here. Also, the street Chase and Julia are driving down at the very beginning of the episode looks to be none other than the Rue de la Cathédrale, as the structure behind them is consistent with the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre’s south tower. From a cartographic standpoint, it does place them on the wrong side of the Clain as well as moving in the opposite direction of Cleo’s residence, but that’s where the artistic licence comes in, I guess. ;)

[mmepastel]

Je n’ai pas pu résister à ce titre, cette couverture, et au bandeau rouge qui annonçait : « un conte gothique envoûtant »…

Alors j’ai lu, avec curiosité, cet étrange récit de Claire Conruyt (journaliste au Figaro -well, nobody’s perfect-), et j’en sors déconcertée.

C’est un récit poétique, qui réécrit le mythe d’Orphée et Eurydice ; une mère charismatique et perturbée rejoint son île (en mer adriatique), île blanche inondée de soleil et entourée de mer bleue intense, avec ses deux fils, dont le plus jeune, appelé Orphée, avec lequel elle a une relation fusionnelle. Peu à peu l’intensité de la mère devient dérangeante, risquée, inquiétante… elle dérive lentement vers la folie et semble vouloir renoncer à vivre. Ses fils cherchent à prouver leur amour, à l’entourer, à partager sa folle poésie, ses élans incompréhensibles, mais peut-on suivre celle qu’on aime et qui court vers la nuit éternelle sans soi-même disparaître ?

Le récit est émaillé de belles phrases, parfois un peu grandiloquentes à mon goût, mais il contient, comme un bijou précieux, de nobles matériaux : des figures mythologiques, une cathédrale décatie, des ruines, des habitants mystérieux, des animaux sauvages qui ressuscitent, des rêves qui se partagent, des objets précieux qui traversent la nuit… il y a un charme qui s’installe, l’autrice a manipulé ses ingrédients avec habileté et ingéniosité. L’ensemble ne m’a pourtant pas totalement émue, je suis restée un peu à côté, observatrice. Je pense que ce qui a péché pour moi est le manque d’empathie que j’ai ressenti pour Bérénice, la mère. Ce personnage est au cœur de l’histoire, elle est censée être la raison de la dérive des deux enfants, et j’ai plutôt éprouvé de l’agacement et même de la colère devant son égoïsme et sa cruauté envers Pierre (l’aîné). Cela m’a donné envie de libérer les enfants de son emprise plutôt que de m’émouvoir de leurs efforts. Un texte ciselé, sans conteste, mais un brin raide, un peu amidonné dans une emphase factice. C’est dommage car il y avait tant de belles idées, tant de belles références…

[elenasadventures]

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres & Amboise

(Entry by Elena)

We were a bit nervous leaving Paris as it marked the start of the road trip portion of our time in France. We headed over to Hertz to pick up our hire car which I’m not allowed to drive because I’m too young (won’t be able to say that for much longer). So James and Lachlan are our designated drivers for the trip. I usually love driving but with all the added pressures of European roads I’m not envious of the boys’ job. Luckily we made it out of Paris in one piece and marveled at the French countryside flying past our windows as we left the big city.

(Entry by Lachlan)

After getting used to driving on the other side of the road, we made our way South. On our way to Amboise we decided to go through a small town called Chartres and go to their Notre Dame cathedral. It was the quintessential gothic cathedral - tall spires, glorious stained glass windows, intricate inlay and carvings, tall ceilings and gilded chapels. The stained glass windows were particularly beautiful - apparently these panels are the most complete and well preserved examples of medieval stained glass windows in France. We had some delicious croque monsieurs at a bistro outside the cathedral before heading off again.

Arriving in Amboise made it clear it was the perfect change of speed from Paris - a cute little medieval-esque town nestled between the river and a castle on the rocky hills that overlook it. We spent our first afternoon there walking through winding cobbled streets with cute shops and cafes in old and peaked-roof buildings. Our apartment was a bit small and cramped, but it was balanced out by having two absolutely peak restaurants literally right outside - one Lebanese and the other a French-Middle Eastern fusion. We stayed two nights, just enough time to try both.

(Entry by Elena)

I also have to jump in here and mention the adorable little cat that lived at the restaurant right outside our front door. He was so sweet and we were immediate friends. I miss my Nala!!!!