Some people come to France for the Wine. Others for the food. The celebrated restaurants. Others make the journey to make journeys. Cycling. Hiking. Walking. But those who come for France’s History discover an embarrasement of riches in the Medieval Villages of France.
Here, in the buildings that remain, the churches, cathedrals, and artifacts, the everpresent atmosphere of the Middle Ages is invoked. Not living through these times, but simply looking back at them, through the rose-colored glasses of our dreams and imaginations(aided by Hollywood, of course) we have no real perception of daily life – “Way back then.” For the rich, naturally, it was as you would expect. “No worries.” But for the poor, the great majority, it was virtually nothing but worries! Brought about by the rich, who, in any era, ride roughshod over the poor.
The Bubonic Plague did’nt help. Sweeping Europe twice in 100 years, killing tens of thousands. Mostly those who were most at risk in unsanitary conditions. – You guessed it – The poor.
But there were some positive elements of life in the Medieval Villages of France.