There is one picnic table nearby
(Zénières, Gages-Montrozier, Aveyron)
Since I have been blogging again, I have been opening my eyes more.
And I have suddenly noticed the incredible number of outdoor crosses and crucifixes one finds every few kilometers here in Aveyron and, probably, all over France.
This is not a revelation, of course. I've seen them around for years. But I have never paid that much attention, or realized how frequently one comes across them.
Right on a bridge
(Montrozier, Gages-Montrozier, Aveyron)
After taking a good look at some local crosses, I was struck by curiosity that I figured Google could resolve in a few seconds. I thought that with a few cleverly formulated searches, in French and/or in English, I would find the "National Directory of French Crosses," or some such.
So far, no result.
Crucifix near a town center
(Sébazac, Aveyron)
The French Wikipedia offers a short yet mind-boggling entry about "Croix Monumentale," with references going as far as Texas (?). But it is hardly encyclopedic.
Part of this crucifix is credited to someone named Vernhes
(Sébazac, Aveyron -- detail)
Someone is diligently blogging about the crosses in the nearby Hérault department, but there is little commentary or history given.
If you live in France, what do you know about crosses in your area?
