Oradaur-sur-Glaine, 9 Sept

 A day off today, so why was I shattered when we sat down at 6pm – because we’d walked and walked.

We arrived in Limoges a little after 10:00 and visited the Emmaus shop. We’re in the market for a nice ‘boudoir’ chair and a set of drawers for the bedroom – nothing there took our fancy though. We then drove into the centre of town and wandered around for a couple of hours. Saw a chair we liked but didn’t buy.

Then off to Oradour-sur-Glaine. We had mixed feeling about the visit before we went – but we’re glad we did. If ever there was a haunted town, this is it. Not spooks and ghouls, but the spirits of the men, women and children that met that awful end back in June 1944. The entire town is derelict but the images of (many of) the people that died that day meet you as you enter the village and they then seem to accompany you as you wander down the main street. 

The ruins have signs stating the businesses that operated from them and the names of the families that lived there. It was so clearly a thriving community before the inhuman act of barbarity that ended it all in terror and death. 

















At the end of the street is the church that should have been sanctuary for the women and children that were herded there – but was anything but. 



The image below shows the window through which the lone survivor of the church torching escaped.

And fittingly, the haunting brings you to the cemetery where many now lie – hopefully at peace (a wish that doesn’t extend to the SS who you hope burn in hell for eternity). At the back of the cemetery is the memorial to the martyrs. The names are there along with the images of many, and the burned ashes of a few; femurs and ribs amongst the ashes – the ultimate memorial.




From the hallowed ground of Oradour to the rather more mundane Limoges's Leroy Merlin for paint, MDF and some electrical wiring. Then home to crash out and relax.

Tomorrow, back to decorating – at least it should be less tiring.

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