I was up at the crack of dawn to catch the early train and have breakfast in one of the little eateries (croissanteries?) there. My assigned train seat, however, didn't match the request I made when I bought my tickets. One of the options being able to chose the direction that the seat faced in which you were traveling. I faced backwards, definitely not my preference, but the train wasn't full, so there was ample space to stretch out.
The sky was slightly overcast, but Conques was, after all, Conques! I was five weeks earlier in the season, which made all the difference. As I hadn't reserved in advance, I found the abbey's gîte full, so had to stay in the gîte communal, which soon filled to capacity for the night. Dinner was at the lovely Hotel Ste. Foy, where I had the special pilgrim menu, but splurged for the cafe gourmand. I attended the evening complies st the Abbey, followed by the presentation of the tympanum by frere Jean-Daniel and the organ concert and abbey illumination.
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| St. Jacques statue outside the restaurant bearing his name |
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| Conques abbey church |
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| An explanation of the tympanum |
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| Café gourmand at the Hotel Ste. Foy's restaurant |
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| leaving Conques |
Forty Days: A Devotional Companion for the Pilgrimage
to Santiago de Compostela
Bible verses selected by Gary T. Johnson
(Psalm 121) I lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where will
my help come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who
made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be
moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who
keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is
your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. 6
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your
life. 8 The LORD will keep your going out and your
coming in from this time on and forevermore.
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