Carrefour European du Patchwork (Tom is a good sport) and then Toul.

Tom admired this quilt at the Carrefour European de Patchwork Show.

  Tom was an amazingly good sport.  Going to a quilt show probably rates up there with getting a root canal.  I had my heart set on attending the Carrefour European de Patchwork Show!  It was going to be a two hour drive.  It was pouring rain and I was nervous about driving that distance in terrible weather, in a country where I don't speak the language, and I'm not familiar with the area.  He drove me!  Not only did he drive me, but stayed with me through three of the four villages that hosted the show.  We skipped the last village.  He didn't complain and actually enjoyed and appreciated  the art we saw.  It was an excellent show and well attended in spite of the inclement weather.  People came by the busload.  The exhibits were spread out over the four villages in churches, and any large building available.  Tents were erected for food and venders.  I've attended many quilt shows over the years but I have never seen a show visited by so many couples.  22,000 people attend this annual show.  My guess is that a quarter of the attendees at the very least were men.

The towns hosting the patchwork show are in the Vosges Mountains occupying a V-shaped valley of the Liepvrette River.  These towns were famous for their mining industry.

Between rain squalls the clouds cleared long enough for us to admire Sainte-Maine-Aux-Mines and the area around the town.

Fiber artist Jane Gaskins transfers photographs to fabric and stitches extensively over the photograph.  Filling is added under the picture as well to add depth.

Here is a detail of her quilt.

Artist Ian Berry uses layers and shades of denim jeans to create his masterpieces.  Even looking up close it's hard to believe what he has created using only denim.

Another denim piece by Ian Berry.  There is no stitching, he glues the fabric down.

The towns hosting the Patchwork show are in a beautiful setting.  Another picture of Sainte-Marie-Aux-Mines

The main streets of these towns are lovely and extremely well maintained.  This was on a side street.

Saint-Croix-aux-Mines is another village we saw while attending the Patchwork show.  There was considerable wealth at one time in these towns.

This was a 25 foot deep lock!  You can see Philippe carrying our line as he climbs back down the ladder.

We go under some low bridges!  Tom's head is just poking out.  Note the solar panels which cover the entire pilot house.

We share the rivers with some giant barges.  This one is 360 feet long.  Check out the two cars on the back.

Our next stop was Toul.   We tied up by some old ramparts.  The old walls were improved upon regularly and Toul was considered one of the best defended strongholds in Europe on the eve of WWI.

View from the ramparts looking down at Rabelo and some of the old walls.

Under an old bridge.

Note the date 1846

Storage rooms under the ramparts of Toul

Cathedral Saint-Etienne was built between 1221 and around 1500.  The west front built between 1460 and 1496 was constructed  in a flamboyant gothic style

All the statues adorning the front of the cathedral were destroyed during the revolution.

Inside the cathedral is the altar of the relics (16th century).  In gothic flamboyant style, this chapel contains a reliquary with the following skulls:  Saint Aprone who was the sister of Saint Evre, the 7th bishop of Toul.  She is famous for killing a dragon with her distaff, Saint Gerard, the 33rd bishop of Toul, who started construction of the first cathedral built in stone, and the skull of one of 11,000 virgin companion of Saint Ursula, the holy Martyr of Cologne.

The side wall of the Cathedral isn't as flamboyant.

I made this clafoutis with little plums.