Abbaye de Belloc

We stayed at Belloc over Easter, arriving as we did on Maundy Thursday, and attending the services there, and visiting Sue's contacts with the Brothers. The combined services with the Brothers and Sisters was beautiful.

On Easter Saturday we walked down to La Bastide for a look around, although the tourist office turned out to be closed. The Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption church was Consecrated in 1315 but largely rebuilt from 1776 to 1779. It has a 14th century Romanesque porch and a nave with three galleries, and its cemetery-courtyard, paved with funerary slabs, is unique in the Basque Country.

That evening after the service, with the traditional Easter fire, there was hot chocolate and we stayed up talking until gone midnight. On Easter day itself, after the Easter service, we had a communal meal with other guests, with a wonderful spread, including lamb with mint sauce, provided by the hospitality Sister. All in all it was a very special Easter, particularly for Sue who met up with many old friends amongst the Brother and Sisters there.