L'abbaye de Cadouin

In 1115 Géraud de Salles and his disciples decided to found an abbey in the middle of a forest between the Dordogne and Couze Rivers. Cadouin Abbey was consecrated in 1119 as a Cistercian house and it became a popular focus for pilgrimage when it was found to have possession of the shroud of the head of Christ, a fine linen fabric embroidered in silk brought back from the Crusades at the end of the 11th Century. The Abbey flourished because of such pilgrimage. (In 1934 research discovered that the relic in question was a Muslim fabric made for an Egyptian caliph - oh dear!)

Today the Abbey is a World Heritage Site and attracts many visitors, for other reasons than to see a relic. It is a lovely experience to wander the cloisters (see extra) and be spell-bound by the many sculptures that adorn the stonework. I have added some examples in extras (I could not access my Flckr account when I was going to put them there), because they are well worth seeing: the young monk with the old monk, monks crowding through an abbey doorway, a weeping saint. Fantastic Gothic flamboyance, but so full of empathy and emotion. 

Our last day here and a hot one too. This afternoon we only ventured out to the local Cave to buy wine. Then sat in our garden in the shade.