Dijon: our journey into the Protestant history of Burgundy begins today.
Bonjour to all!
Cheves Leland offers our toast of well wishes to all our members and friends as we begin our posts from Burgundy.
A post from our Director, Elizabeth Gay, who is in France with the Society’s President, Jack Williams and its Historian, Cheves Leland. They are participating in a program hosted by Les Amitiés Huguenotes Internationales.
Today, while a misty cool rain fell, we ventured out for a walk into the old city of Dijon with its cobblestone streets and the beautiful patina of France on its buildings and walkways. Given it is a Monday, many places were closed and there was little foot traffic which made for a relaxing day as we recovered from our jet lag. Needless to say the food has been delicious beginning with our lunch at a quaint Brasserie where we enjoyed a Boeuf Bourguignon and Croque Monsieur and then the most delicate Crème brûlée with a soft honey cap instead of hard sugar. The Burgundy region is known for its honey production and it is very good. For those who grew up in Charleston, the egg base custard tasted very much like the one we used to enjoy years ago at Robertson’s in the little green ceramic pots - remember those? It had the same soft and rich consistency. Another culinary delight was sampling mustards. There are so many varieties of the Dijon mustard to include mixtures with cassis, herbs, paprika, and more. It is very hard to select which to bring home. Fortunately samplers are available so we can bring home a selection to enjoy. Tasting it on a small slice of paté or fig cake is just ideal.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Dijon
The walk toward the side of the cathedral along the cobblestone street.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Dijon
Interior view of a gothic masterpiece in the old city.
A highlight of our stroll was a visit to the Church of Notre-Dame, Dijon. We stumbled upon it while enjoying the mustard shops on the Rue de la Liberté. The first thing we noticed was the beautiful clock tower with its figures and gold clock face. This we came to know is the Jacquemart and it rests on an unbuilt south tower of the cathedral. Of its four automatons, two are named Jacquemart and Jacqueline which sound the hours by striking the large bell with their hammer. The other two figures are their “children” who mark the quarter hours on their small bells. This marvelous creation was brought from Belgium to Dijon in the 14th c. It was looted by Philip the bold, the Duke Philippe II of Burgundy. The figures were modified and added over the centuries ending in the 18th c. with the addition of the children.
The Clock Tower or Jacquemart
Atop the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Dijon.
Once inside, we came upon a wall of names which were in memory of soldiers who had lost their lives in World War I. Immediately my eye goes to “Fernand Gay” and I couldn’t help but be amazed to see my surname so early in my visit to France and that it was the first one I noticed on this rather large memorial. Then Cheves spots Dutartre which we recognize as a Huguenot ancestral surname. And then, my eyes go up from her hand to see “François Marion” and well, I just about fell over. Here we are so far from home and on our first day we are seeing these familiar reminders of our ancestral surnames. We shall take it as a sign of a tremendous week ahead as we enjoy the 20th International meeting of Huguenot descendants, on the trail of the history of Protestantism in Burgundy.
The church is a masterpiece. It dates to the 13th c. and is a beautiful example of gothic architecture. What began as a small chapel in the 12th c. grew into what today is a large cathedral, considered one of the finest in France of its period.
The welcome dinner held this evening was very nice and we enjoyed dining with many new friends including Mr. Henri Zuber, President, La Société de l’Histoire du Protestantisme Français in Paris. Also, in attendance is Robert Nash who members may recall from the 2022 Anniversary Meeting of the Society where he spoke on “What is a Huguenot and What is a Huguenot Descendant?” His remarks are featured in the current issue of Transactions. Additionally, Joyce Hampton and Katrina Matthews are on the tour and they were our gracious hosts in England last May when our Society’s tour enjoyed the meeting of The Huguenot Society of Great Britain and Ireland. We are in esteemed company and thrilled to be able to make additional new friends this week. It is also a great help to us to meet fellow leaders of Huguenot organizations around the world and to share ideas and research opportunities. We bring so much more to our membership in their research of their lineages when we are able to connect with fellow researchers worldwide.We will be extending warm invitations all week for everyone to visit Charleston next year as we celebrate the 250th year of the Declaration of Independence with special programs and exhibits in plan. Liberté is worthy of great celebration.
We will update as able this week and hope everyone enjoys the Protestant history of Burgundy we may be able to share.