Still, an hour was about enough, and after a quick trip to L'Atelier du Chocolate Bayonne, we were off to Iliers Combray.
First stop (after taking a picture of a map with the Route Proustienne marked on it) was the town church. Poor Eglise Sainte-Jacques! While it certainly couldn't compare to Chartres, it was just so run down! The front door could barely open and much of the paint was peeling off the walls. The stained glass windows were modern and plain; I couldn't imagine anyone in those flat images, much less the Countess Guermantes. The paintings on the beams overhead provided more room for the imagination, but I had my most fun visualizing the Proust family in the little stalls, waiting for church to start. (More tomorrow ...)
