Hiver est arrivé!
Crisp and even!
Just as it should be but isn’t always these days as the seasons come unstuck.
They are planting the garlic and our birds are back on the bird table–tits, nuthatches and a robin.
Surprising how good it makes one feel–seasonal balance.
It helps this morning as we wait with our builders for someone from the La Mairie of Lautrec to arrive with the key to the church–the future of which has been an on-going concern, or to put it more crudely–has been bugging us for the past three months.
An unwelcome distraction from the food and everyday life blog.
The mayor (maire) announced at a meeting of the parishioners at the beginning of October (the first night of my cooking workshop, so Meredith had to go alone) that he is wants to sell the church.
He claimed that it is in a dangerous state and about to fall down.
Lautrec is in debt he said and short of money.
He claimed there was someone interested in buying the church and converting it into a living space.
Oh my goodness!
It’s no more than ten yards from the présbytere-the priest’s residence–our residence now.
So IOBY (in our back yard)–literally.
Ben on the lookout!
EEK!
Meredith suggested there were other solutions.
OK says the Mayor, you have three months.
Right…
The church is no oil painting but we have grown to love it and its reassuring presence.
It was built about 1870–a hundred and fifty years after the presbytere (priest’s house) to replace the original chapel that was destroyed at the time of the French Revolution (1789-1794…).
In 1905 Church and State were separated by law in France and the churches became the property of local government.
SO–the church belongs to the commune.
In March at the local elections the Mairie changed hands and the new Maire decided that the church had to be sold.
(It was deconsecrated as a church sometime ago.)
A local woman had shown interest a couple of years ago but the then mayor assured us it was not for sale.
Phew!
After the election, however, the same woman approached the new mayor….
We have been busy these three months.
We’ve consulted notaries, lawyers, the citizens advice bureau in our local town and all agree, after studying the documents that there is NO ACCESS to the church from our side and our neighbors, the farmers who own the land surrounding the church say they will not grant access from their side.
NO ACCESS!
There is also NO WATER on the site and NO SANITATION--ie septic tank.
The only land is the narrow path that circles the building–NO TERRAIN.
As to the state of the building today two builders examined it inside and out and their shared opinion is that it is NOT ABOUT TO FALL DOWN.
There is structural work to be done to secure the chapel on the north side–but tis would not be “grande choses”.
One of them suggested that two exterior buttresses would render that chapel safe.
At the meeting in October the mayor assured the parishioners of St Martin, many of whom have family tombs in the adjacent cemetery and for whom the ongoing presence of the church building is significant, that it would retain it’s outward footprint—ie look the same.
The lawyers in Albi and Castres told us this assurance does not conform to French law in the case of rural churches.
Indeed the prospective buyer has told us that, if successful in her bid, she intends to knock down the two side chapels to provide window views on the north and south sides of the building.
SO MUCH FOR THE FOOTPRINT!
We heard last week that the town council has voted to sell the church.
Though many people we have talked to say “BE PATIENT!” this is MAD and will not happen, it is a distraction.
We have set up a worldwide petition in favor of preserving the church as a significant presence and with the possibility of using it as a cultural centre and exhibition space. Please sign it:
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/save-the-church-of-st
The interior of St Martin showing some of the murals depicting the life of St Martin.
Robin Ellis 
An absolute travesty. The church is beautiful and should be preserved.
I think the solution may be, and I hope it isn’t too late, is to keep it a Catholic Church. The Church is in a decaying condition throughout France, but there is enormous growth outside the diocesan church, particularly in the traditionalist orders. There are more people every week kneeling in the pews of SSPX (Society of St. Pius X) churches than in diocesan churches throughout France. The SSPX has an interesting status regarding Rome. Neither in perfect communion, nor in schism. They gave their own structure and bishops. Relations with Rome blow hot & cold. They are Catholic, acknowledge the Pope, and only say the traditional Mass. Going to SSPX churches here in the states is like a trip back to the 1950s. Men in suit & tie, women in modest dress and chapel veils, Latin, incense, bells, candles, silence. It is growing enormously as younger people (I am 50 and grew up with the New Mass) find it a more authentically Catholic experience.
There are other traditionalist orders with closer ties to Rome, the Institute of the Good Shepherd,the Institute of Christ the King Soveriegn Priest, and the Priestly Fraternity Of Saint Peter. They are where the growth is in the Catholic world.
But only the SSPX, with its unique structure, just steps into s situation like this, and just buys a church and sets up shop. Doesn’t need so much as a by your leave from the diocesan bishop. If they think there is a market for their sub-brand of Catholicism in your area, point them in the direction.
I hate when outsiders come in and wreck everything for the locals!! Espec. concerning historical buildings!! I clicked to sign the petition, but the link’s not working (yet?) …
We have a similar struggle in our own area–a huge natural gas pipeline they want to put in our town (and many surrounding towns). A bordering state sent the company away empty-handed, so now they want to come into NH, and are threatening to take people’s property by eminent domain!! And to add insult to injury–aside from the major safety and environmental concerns!!–none of the affected towns will benefit from any of the energy this thing is supposed to carry… I have a certain word for a company like this, but you’d be shocked and disappointed to read it…
Pls. tell us when your link is working. 🙂
Link is working, Dianne and sad to hear your story.
I’m signing petitions and writing letters all the time to ban fracking and the Keystone pipeline. I wish you the best!
The Supreme Court decision that would allow this particular usage of eminent domain was one of the earlier WTF ones, before Citizens United. What were they thinking?
I signed the petition because I believe in the preservation of original architecture because it has a place in history that tells a story that should not be altered.
Dear Robin & Meredith, That are indeed serious problems.I was thinking on this church many times(and had a strange feeling about it) like i told you some months ago.There are solutions if everyone of the community of Lautrec gather together and pay for the purchaise-restauration and it get’s then used then for communial exibitions-art-vide greniers etc..without The Mairie has anything to do with it then..What is also the problem that your privacy gets disturbed because of the entrance in the case if a private person buys it, As a neigbor you have the right to find out the asking price .The other solutions is that you buy it.Let you in that case well inform by good sollicitors & surveyors please.Courage dear people and fight for your rights, big hughs, Chantal.
I wonder how long this HAS been cooking on a back burner? You don’t suppose the moving of Mary to the graveyard had anything to do with ” the plans”. I fear if the interested party is willing to aggressively change the nature of the building, what other changes for a not so bucolic life she may have planned. I would think the murals alone are worth a preservation effort. Good luck and keep us posted.
Sent from my iPad
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Will do, Jae–thanks.
We have similar problems over here in Maine-churches end up on the market when their congregations become too small. Our town planning board has allowed one to be sold to be torn down and replaced by a Dunkin Doughnuts drive through! We have launched a community wide protest. I am not familiar with French historic preservation practices but if possible getting a non-profit group involved in some sort of community wide preservation attempt will help. If there is a National Register that the building could be listed on-fill out the paperwork pronto-that will usually keep an exterior intact in the USA and prevent the removal of the side chapels. Ultimately, unless they can force someone to provide an access easement I don’t see who would want it-they would have to come and go by helicopter-which they would have to park on the roof-which they don’t think is structurally sound anyway!
Thanks for this, Mary–very useful.
We could bag a ride to Toulouse airport in the ‘copter I suppose.
well
Robin, here is a link to “Future for Religious Heritage” http://www.frh-europe.org/de/
It’s a network to protect religious heritage across Europe. Maybe they have information or ideas on how you should proceed.
We have inherited a share of a small chapel in the village where I come from. There are four farms and every farm is proportionally involved. A few years ago, the chapel was restored and the costs were shared.
Hope it finds a good solution for you and the chapel.
…and real winter is here in white and frosty Munich, brrrr…
Thank you Martina–we’ll pursue this.
send us your address and we will contribute. If everyone gave something, maybe you could buy it.
Zoning in rural US is different than urban..much more undefined. But, if a property is to have human use, it must have water and septic. The only possible use would be as a work of art, to be observed and not used. As a connected property, you should have some rights in this. It may come to a numbers game in the end. Visible protests with large numbers of protestors and plenty of newspaper and tv coverage…squeaky wheels. It has artistic and historical relevance. The more people that know about this afront, the better. Good luck!!
This happened to a church in the town I grew up in. It was an active parish, involved in the neighborhood, and in the black financially. It also sat on a prime piece of real estate. The bishop wanted it sold and it was sold, then promptly torn down. Shame, shame, shame. To that bishop and your maire I would say: “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.”
I tried to click on the link to sign the petition but it didn’t work. Maureen Harney
It has worked for others, Maureen–you try the link on my Facebook page.
Bad news Robin…..But why … if the church belongs to the community is it not put up for sale on the open market, why is this a done deal with this woman? The community and others that have past family in the churchyard could then band together to purchase and create the cultural centre for the village surely?
Robin, I think it is sad that such a beautiful, sacred structure could possibly be demolished. If your efforts to come up with an acceptable solution fails, I believe the best possible outcome would be for you and Meredith to purchase it. You could renovate it and rent it out for religious retreats and gatherings,. It would not be as peaceful as having it sitting there empty, but it may be better than the alternative. Or, you could purchase it and just leave it be. With a price, you would be able to maintain your privacy and peaceful atmosphere. Believe me, things could be a whole lot worse. Just ask people who live in Southern California attempting to save their beautiful neighborhoods from blight. Best wishes.
Thanks,Linda.
Good luck. I will say a prayer for the chapel to stay as it is, or as near as can be. I would think lack of access is key to it not being developed to a home. X
Thanks, Pam.
Meredith Robin what a nightmare for you, Jimmy and I have signed the petition,it would be intolerable for you and the village to have it turned it turned into something residential.Hands off Mr. Mayor.
Thanks, Elaine.
I signed the petition and commented briefly en français.
Thanks, Saffron.
Actually, saffronrose is my screen name for this service. I’m Marina.
Hi Marina–from now on!
Well, that’s a blow! Can you not just buy it yourselves and use it to store spare cats or the poultry? Or a nice garage for the Audi? With little or no access and no parking, I can’t see it’s worth much to anyone but you.
We do hope it resolves in your favour early in 2015. Very best of luck, and – if poss – a very happy New Year!
Mark and Vicky.
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 17:36:22 +0000 To: markanderson1001@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks Mark and Happy New Year to you and Vicky too–up there in Yorkshire.
Robin & Meredith, Just signed. Best of luck. Fight the good fight. Perhaps something good will come of this. Some sort of restoration. Let’s all buy it!
Thanks Darrell–we’ll see but the support is fantastic and heartening. Say Hi to Anita.
HAPPY NEW YEAR Robin & Meredith!
Very best wishes for a safe, happy and peaceful 2015.
Good luck with the petition which now has a kiwi signature!
Bonne Annee et Bonne Sante!
Lana
NZ
Thanks Lana–we are building interest and concern here internationally–though the Mairie of Lautrec may not react directly to this it is the start of a campaign to preserve the Church, Presbytere (where we live) and Cemetery as a unity of structures that speak to the local community.