In Sorèze with two of my latest readers

Yesterday I was signing and selling copies of ‘Lauragais’ at the Christmas market in the Abbey of Sorèze. I also had time to photograph some of my latest readers.

Mary takes a keen interest in modern literature, whereas her master Tom is more into buying and selling antique and rare books.

If you share Mary’s literary tastes, choose the first link, or if you are in Tom’s camp, follow the link to his page on Abe Books.

Mary

tom

The Abbey of Sorèze may have been founded as long ago as 754 under King Pepin the Short. It was attacked and pillaged many times over the centuries by, among others, the Normans, bands of unemployed soldiers during the Hundred Years’ War, and both Catholics and Protestants during the Wars of Religion. Louis XVI made it a Royal Military School, and it remained an educational establishment until 1991.

This statue of Pepin the Short is located in the  abbey's park.

This bell tower is all that remains of the church of Saint-Martin after the Protestant siege of 1573.

Also in the abbey's park is a rare statue of Louis XVI. Only five remain in France, and one of those has lost its original head!

Today, the abbey complex houses the Dom Robert tapestry museum and the school museum.