The last big brocante - L'Ile Bouchard fete de la Saint-Martin

Today at L'Ile Bouchard we have the last big brocante of the season and it's a huge affair spanning both the bridges onto the island and more.

Last but certainly not least...

This weekend sees the last of the big brocantes of the season with the HUGE event at L'Ile Bouchard on Saturday. More than just a brocante with many commercial stalls like the one above also present.

More from L'Ile-Bouchard...

Here are some more pics from Wednesday's brocante...this chap showed a bit of style.

These clogs didn't!

Nougat stall that seemed to do no business probably most people thought the same as I did...how old?

What is it? not just a camera but a photo enlarger

The big one...

We went over to the last - and one of the largest, brocantes of the season at L'Ile-Bouchard yesterday.It was a little chilly but with friends it was a pleasant walk over the bridges and island.

The stall above is a good example of the diversity of what was on offer...

this one didn't!

Dennis would have loved this stall...

we loved this one!

These fighting cherubs were already sold by the time we saw them.

We coveted this pair but at €1760 each they were never going to be ours.

These buyers were heading home with their purchases.

Here are a couple abandoned yet cute toys.

Church on Sunday...L'Ile-Bouchard

At first glance the parish church of St Gilles in the Touraine town of L'Île-Bouchard seems quite innocuous but there is more to it than first meets the eye.

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From the 8th to the 14th of December 1947 at a time when the country was being affected by general strikes and even the threat of civil war, a series of apparitions of the Virgin Mary and the angel Gabriel appeared to four young girls of the village and asked them to pray for peace in France. The apparent result was a cessation of hostilities and the beginning a more prosperous period for the country. You can read more here... 

There is a 'grotto' in the church depicting the 'vision'

The church which dates from the 11th century was altered in the 12th and 15th centuries before a major renovation towards the end of the 19th  century.

It has an impressive organ and fresco.

Where's Joan? She is here and indeed was here...

There is plaque on the outside wall telling us that on the 6th of March in 1429,  Joan stopped there to pray on her way to Chinon, to seek out the Dauphin Charles. Joan is said to have spent several hours in prayer  in front of the Altar of Our Lady.

So, miraculous visions and Joan - quite a church!

                                  
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