St. Martial is in the commune of Varen in a beautiful countryside location.
We have just been to a funeral in a small church in a nearby hameau. It was packed of course as our very elderly neighbour local lady Yvonne Cazelles was buried.
We surprisingly had never been in this church although our other local church at St. Vincent and one at Selgues at Verfeil, we have been involved with.
This little church at one time must have been really beautiful and the ceiling reminded me very much of the one at Puycelsi. The church was also adorned with statues. The building though was very damp and neglected, in the service a lone bat flew around the coffin, something symbolic there I am sure. A wasp stung one of the readers and a wasp nest was discovered in a cupboard.
As I was leaving I asked one of the villagers if there was an association raising money for the church, he said not but asked if I felt like starting one.
Well yes I do.
I certainly fancy getting a group involved and raising money to stabilise the damp problems if nothing else.
You do not have to be religious to wish to preserve the heritage of our villages.
We really need some prominent French people involved then a willing group of English or Dutch worker bees to see off those church wasps.
Get in touch with me if you feel you would like to make this church dry, safe and then on the way to being restored. I will have photos soon hopefully.
taglines82@gmail.com
