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| The day dawned very early for our drive to La Salette. This was our farewell to Lyon as La Salette is on the way to Marseilles. Veronique captured photographic evidence of my bad habits. |
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| The road through the French Alps went by Grenoble where the winter Olympics were held a few decades ago. I can't imagine moving large numbers of people in and out of here with these twisting mountain roads! |
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| Occasionally, a mountain lake would appear - I'll bet the water is freezing cold! |
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| The small town of Corps is only 3-4 miles below La Salette but it is more like 10-12 by road! This photo might explain why people want to live in these remote regions! |
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| As we approach La Salette, the terrain becomes even more undulating! |
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| Finally, we arrive at the church dedicated to Notre Dame de La Salette - Our Lady of La Salette |
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| The interior is beautiful in its simplicity |
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| Our Lady appeared to two young children |
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| The crucifix she wore had a hammer and pliers attached. While she gave the children no explanation, it is believed they represent our sins (the hammer which drives the nails into Jesus's flesh) and reconciliation (the pliers used to withdraw those nails)! |
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| A statue honoring St Ann, Mary's mother |
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| This priest is from St Louis originally and is now in La Salette. He told us the story of the apparition |
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| Seems these two children, Melanie and Maximum were tending cattle when they saw a beautiful woman with her head in her hands weeping |
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| They asked why she was crying and she said she was crying because people treated Sunday just like any day, working and the like and also they weren't going to mass - in short, they were not honoring her Son. |
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| She asked if they prayed often and they told her the truth - no they did not pray often or well. The boy, Maximum, told his father and he came up to the pasture. Where the lady had cried, a spring had come up. The father drank from the spring and was instantly cured of his asthma! He immediately stopped drinking and began attending daily mass. As the story spread, many people came, cures were recorded, and eventually the shrine was build. |
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| St Philomena again! |
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| The Stations are all within about 50 feet of each other so we prayed the Stations of the Cross |
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| A huge cross adorns the hilltop and is visible for miles |
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| The reconciliation chapel |
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| Corps from La Salette |
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| The shrine is beautiful, remote, and peaceful |
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| These small flowers (not roses) are what St Therese of Liseaux had in mind when she told us we should all be little flowers which God gathers up. |
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| On the way to Marseilles, Veronique pointed out this unusual rock formation that was reminiscent of a city in the middle east - hopefully someone will help me with the name of the city |
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| At a rest stop we walked under the highway to use the facilities. I climbed a lookout tower and discovered that there is a small lake behind the rest stop! |
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| Theresa approaches the underpass |
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| Our side of the road (that is our white bus) only had some very basic rest rooms. Beyond, you can see the farm fields |
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| As we arrived in Marseilles, we passed the Cathedral. Better shots were made from the boat trip to Chateau If in a later post |
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| The old harbor is now used only for small craft. Our hotel is the building with the vertical word (Radisson) on it right across |
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| The National Theater Marseille is just down from the hotel |
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| Our hotel up close |
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| A putting green! |
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| Boulo (Bocce) Ball! We went to play one night but the big lamp was gone! |
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| Dinner was in a local restaurant and was wonderful. |
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| Veronique, our tour guide with Theresa |
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| Luis & Patricia sat across a small aisle and we had a wonderful evening |
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| The desert was an apple tart that was (almost) too pretty to eat. They kept serving deserts with spoons! I could understand ice cream, but pies, cakes, and tarts? |
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| It was Mary's birthday and the restaurant staff fixed a tart with a sparkler, turned off the lights and sang Happy Birthday! |
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| This was the place - if you ever find yourself in Marseille! |
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| Luis, Patrica, Theresa, and I all stop at the fouled anchor that is the symbol of a local marine antique store. The fould anchor is meaningful to me since it is the rating device of a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy, whoc I was privileged to be for one year prior to being commissioned |
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| The hotel had a great looking pool but we were on the go so much, no one had a chance to use it! |
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| The view from the pool deck! |
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| A great place to be with your wife, your lover, & your best friend! |
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