We're in between deluges here in my little town of St. Hippolyte du Fort. The latest storm pounded down vast quantities of water so quickly that the already saturated ground could barely absorb it. Our Cévennes region is known for such events which are called an episode Cévenol. Flashes of lightning on the mountains behind our house and cracks of thunder that sound like they are just outside the window are part of the package. I love it.
We have several "episodes Cévenol" every year. Flood warnings abound, but most of the time, we're fine. Except in 2014. Our association had just finished the purchase of the Château de Planque and a few months later, we stood up to our knees in water in over half of the ground floor. Thankfully, we had a large group of young people here who bucketed water out the windows through the night. They sang every worship and praise song known to man at the top of their voices, then moved on to well-known musicals and patriotic songs. Mostly American. I wondered what our new neighbors thought.
Later, people in town told us the singing sounded like angels and encouraged them through their own flood ordeals. I'm pretty sure they couldn't hear the exact words being sung! Anyway, it was good to know it was a blessing rather than otherwise. We were new in town, after all, and already viewed upon with suspicion. Thankfully, that is (mostly) behind us after living here for over a decade.
One of the best results of heavy rainfall is our river Vidourle fills and flows in a rushing roar I can hear from my back garden. The sound of running water brings something soothing to the soul, and I try to stop and take it in. Enjoy the moment. Breathe deep.
And then there are the waterfalls. We are blessed with multiple falls of water throughout our little town. After the rains, they cascade in abondance. The verse comes to mind:
The voice of the Lord is over the waters
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful
The voice of the Lord is majestic.
Psalm 29:3-4 (NIV)
We're told that the deep reverberation of tumbling water resembles the voice of God. Can you hear it?
The Planque bridge in front of my home spans the river Vidourle. I never tire of stopping in the middle to relish the sight, sounds, and scents of the river below and the mountains above. It is one of the many blessings of living here, which is probably why this scene has made it now into more than one book in my Huguenot Resistance Series. The whoosh of fresh air down from the cliffs and over the waters revives or, depending on the weather, chills to the bone.
Across the bridge, we turn right onto the Route de Cros. Join me for my favorite walk, most often enjoyed on glorious Sunday mornings.
First, we pass through the arch under the viaduct bridge. We walk on the road above the rushing river below until we arrive at the first of three waterfalls.
Our community has various names for this spot: the water hole, the beach, the baptism waterfall. All reflect the loveliness of the spot and the many significant events that have taken place here.
We wander up the road past beautiful stretches of the river. When the water is clear, we can see smoothed stones of various colors beneath. On sunny days, the water sparkles and the air is fresh with mineral scents.
The next waterfall on this road is smaller and includes a convergence of irrigation canals.
Farther along, we arrive at the third waterfall. When this one is at its peak, swollen and pounding an abundance of water, I most hear the rumbling undertones that remind me of the majestic, yet personal voice of God.
Our walk now takes us to the center of town, where another walking path runs next to the river. During our scorching hot summers, water levels run low, eventually drying completely. After an episode Cévenol, the river rises and laps or spills over the edge of the path. Never a dull moment around here!
This section of the river ends in yet another magnificent waterfall, as seen in the first photo in this post. Here it is again, on a different day.
We're not done yet! Farther down, the river Vidourle converges with the smaller river Argentesse, which is dry much of the year. Not after a downpour! In fact, the bridge spanning the blended rivers is labeled inondable or floodable. Yes, it is indeed.
One day recently, I came across a group of our local firemen performing training exercises here. They wore life jackets and seemed to be learning to rescue people from flood waters. Hard to tell, as they were mostly laughing and floating away. A neighbor observing remarked "ils s'amusent"... they're just having fun. They sure were! I wish I'd thought to photograph them.
From episodes Cévenol to extreme draught during our burning summers, the Cévennes is a land of extremes. This has rendered the people here resourceful and hardy. Home to resisting Huguenots who became Camisard fighters against King Louis XIV's troops and home to their descendents, the Maquisards, the south of France resistance movement of World War II.
I'm nearing the end of the first rough draft of my third novel in the Huguenot Resistance Series. The story is based on actual events here in St. Hippolyte du Fort and in my home, the Château de Planque, during the war. SS Nazis came and terrible things happened. It's not easy bringing these historical events to life, but I believe the courage of the Huguenots' descendents needs to be told.
In my research, I came across this poem, written by a Maquisard in May 1944.
Les fiers enfants des Cévennes
Réfractaires et maquisards
Montrent qu’ils ont dans les veines
le sang pur des Camisards
The brave children of the Cévennes
Objectors and Maquisards
Show what they have in their veins
The pure blood of the Camisards
Jacques Poujol, Maquisard, 10 May 1944
An amazing and inspiring legacy. Resistance runs strong in Cévenol blood, bred and forged in this land of extremes.
La vie est belle!
Love that you shared the sound of the waterfalls through those video clips. Always a joy to listen to your thoughts and see that beautiful area through your looking glass.🙏🩷
Thank you for such a refreshing account and the lovely videos- it really brought your beautiful area to life and was a blessing to read!
Beautiful pics, Janet. What a fun experience to see the fire fighters floating down the river laughing! What a blessing to live in such a diverse and scenic region!