Calvin's Corner of the world

Dear all,

I'm trying to resend this as I've typed this up once already and lost it. I've also accidentally deleted a draft of this and am battling all things technological.

I thought I already sent it, but it's not appearing.

I'm sitting in a hotel under an imposing and fairy tale-like chateau which carries the name of the town, or villagte - Pierresfont.

It is a beautiful little town as are so many of the villages here.

We have completely booked out the hotel with our company of 50.

I have been a little hampered by lack of expertise, but have been trying to upload photos and posts to no avail.

I will give it another go.

So far,  reformation-wise, on this tour, we started with the ealiest martyrdoms of the Hugenots in a Place (square, the English might say, but there's too many roads coming off it for that!) called Maubert, where the blood of the Hugenots ran as Kind Francis sat on the side feasting with his nobles. His sister probably sat there, chilled, as he declared war on anyone of his own family who considered conversion to PRotestantism. He even threatened his own sons.

We've also visited the site of the school which Calvin attended in Paris - the College de Marche adn Montagui, and found his names on the roll on this side of it, next to Melanchton, LUther etc. A whole litany of famous people from church/hisotry.

Then, we rounded the corner and visited church of patron saint of Paris, at time of Calvin - Saint Genevieve (situated high on mount so pilgrims could see it; apprently she was so good, they established the treasury of goodness, and pilgrims could buy a shred of the excess of goodness she exuded) where Blaise Pascal has a monument adn we talked about his wager.

We also visited NOtre Dame, where Calvin's books were burnt sky-high and where thousands of HUgenots were slaughtered as they were lured into the square after wedding of Hugenot sympathiser, Henry of Navarre, when he married Marguerite of Valois. Apparently, Catherine Medici rang bells herself adn arranged for the bloodbath in Lady Macbeth fashion.

Later we travelled through the gently rolling countryside outside Paris en route to Noyon.
I saw many signs for Pont LeVecq, from where Calvin's father hailed. They were fi9shermen on the river there.

Place is important in church history as being at the cathedral in Noyon and seeing Calvin'sbirthplace was incredible. There are several academics and a good handful of ministers on this trip and it was exhilarating hearing them discuss te social, political, cultural ramifications Calvin had - not only theological.  The cathedral was shelled in second world war but has been reconstructed. It also seems to have outlasted the great fire that burnt the village Calvin was born in to the ground just before he died.

We are hearing much about the three solas and about grace and not works on this trip. This excites many and it's fascinating to hear them quote Calvin and LUther at great lenght.

Tomorrow we hope, D.V. to travel to Strausborg, with a stop in Verdun.

Hope and pray you are all well.

Greeting from a fairly chilly Pierresfont.