Church

I see a lot of churches here
Every city we go to, it's: river/canal, church, chateau
Every village we go to is: church, market, fields
Every chateau we go to has its own chapel

When you drive through the countryside, you can see on the green horizon the familiar site of a small cluster of homes surrounding a spire.
It was the center of community life.  As is/was the case in every country I have visited in the world. 

They are BIG and tiny.
This weekend it was the enormous St Etienne Cathedral of Bourges (at night).  Literally so large that I couldn't back up enough to get the whole thing in a single picture frame.

And the smaller Our Lady of Sancerre (Notre Dame de Sancerre)

I have a soft spot for the smaller ones.
Maybe it is the lack of the borage of complexity in architecteral structure and decor.
Or the fact they tend to be very still and quiet.
Or that you generally have more access.  We went to Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and walked through the small church, up the stone steps and down, through the choir section and in touching distance of the old statues. An experience you won't have in the larger cathedrals.

See 16 year old Jeanne (Joan of Arc) on the left? 

And I'm not religious anymore but there are occasional messages that touch my heart.

Tourists, Friends, 
     The church is the house of God
          in the middle of his people
     Every man, believing or non believing
          needs, in his life,
             moments of silence.
     When you come in here, commune with yourself
          and let the best of you
      invade your heart.