Monday, September 16, 2013

Open Doors / Heritage Days / des Journées européennes du patrimoine - Avignon


For two busy days, Sep 14-15, we joined crowds of people wandering the streets of Avignon, touring over 30 different sites that bring this city’s history to life, Avignon's Heritage Days.

A few nights before, we had found ourselves on Rue des Teinturiers, pondering huge water wheels along a pretty canal. On Heritage Day we discovered that the street name is from the guild of IMG_3654makers of cotton fabric prints known as ‘Indiennes”; the fabric designs are reminiscent of the brightly coloured  prints brought to Europe in the 17th century by the French East Indian Company.

“These cottons were so popular they posed a serious threat to the silk and cloth industry in France, causing Louis XIV to impose a ban on all manufacture, imports and sales of the cottons, and to seize all stock. This ban lasted for about 50 years until it was lifted in 1759 with the help of the influential Madame de Pompadour, mistress of king Louis XV. From then onwards the textile industry in France began to flourish.” http://www.french-country-dIMG_3646ecor-guide.com/french-country-fabrics.html 


By 1817 there were 23 water wheels along Rue de Teinturiers, producing the energy needed by the carders, spinners, dyers to print their fabric. 

This “feature” wasn’t actually a part of Heritage Days. We came across a sign with the history as we were walking to another site. That site was a church and what struck us most was not the building or its history but the fact that the parishioners were sharing their Sunday meal together in the outdoor courtyard. 

All day, as we wandered from one monument/ museum to another, we heard similar sounds – dishes clanging, people talking, furniture moving, laughter – the elements of my favourite Sunday hymn.

We’ve never done the Open Doors event in Ottawa, but we will in the future.






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