"Die Geheim van Nantes"

"The Secret of Nantes"

Ek was nog op skool toe ek getrou elke middag na die radiovervolgverhaal Die Geheim van Nantes op Springbok Radio geluister het...Wat was Nantes se geheim? Wie was Nantes se geheim? Min het ek geweet dat ek eendag in die ware Nantes sou staan om daardie geheime te ontdek!

Gedurende ‘n blitsbesoek aan Nantes het ek soveel gesien, ontdek en ervaar...die geheime tonneltjies en gangetjies in 'n kasteel, die geheime protespropoganda in die museum, geheime simboliek in die katedrale, die geheime wêreld van Jules Verne in 'n speelpark, 'n geheime en versteekte inkopieparadys en natuurlik ‘n ongelooflike restaurant met geheime bestanddele!

Ek het oor middagete die bus in Limoges, sowat 30 km vanaf Châlus, gevat om vyf en ‘n half uur later in Nantes te wees...dit was reeds donker met geen teken van ‘n taxi of my hotel nie! Dus het ek my tassie gegryp en begin loop in die rigting van centre ville waar die hotel geleë is. Teen -5ºC het ek nogal vinnig geloop in die hoop om op te warm, maar moes helaas later moed opgee voor die gendarmes my as ‘n onooglike ysbeeld aansien . Ek vra toe iemand by ‘n busstop hoe ver nog na die middestad en sy beveel aan dat ek ‘n bus vat...so gesê, so gedaan. Agt busstoppe verder was ek volgens die busbestuurder in centre ville...nog steeds het niks sin gemaak nie; ek het mos geen sin vir rigting nie! Na drie vreemdelinge en baie gevriesde Frans (onthou dit was bitterkoud!) was die Hôtel Pommeraye uiteindelik voor my. Nog nooit was ‘n warm bad so ongelooflik lekker nie!!!

I was still at school when I faithfully listened to the radio serial The Secret of Nantes on Springbok Radio every afternoon...What was Nantes's secret? Who was Nantes's secret? Little did I know that one day I would be in the real Nantes to discover those secrets! During a quick visit to Nantes I saw, discovered and experienced so much...the secret tunnels and passageways in a castle, the secret protest propaganda in the museum, secret symbolism in the cathedrals, the secret world of Jules Verne in a playground, a secret and hidden shopping paradise and of course an amazing restaurant with secret ingredients! I left Limoges, about 30km from Châlus, at lunchtime by bus, to arrive five and a half hours later in Nantes...it was already dark with no sign of a taxi or my hotel! So I grabbed my bag and started walking in the direction of 'centre ville' where the hotel is located. At -5ºC I walked fast, hoping to warm up but later had to give up before the 'gendarmes' took me for an unsightly ice sculpture. I asked someone at a bus stop how much further to the city center and she recommended that I take a bus...so eight bus stops further I was in 'centre ville' according to the driver...still nothing made sense; I have no sense of direction! After three foreigners and many frozen French (remember it was very cold!), the Hôtel Pommeraye finally appeared before me. Never had a hot bath been so incredible!!!

Die volgende twee dae was soos ‘n warrelwindromanse met Nantes.

Ek het, sonder om te verdwaal (onthou my gebrek aan rigting), die flambojante, 15de eeuse Gotiese Château des Ducs de Bretagne besoek waar daar toegang tot elke geheime gangetjie en poortjie was...hierdie kasteel is die werk van François II, die laaste Hertog van onafhanklike Brittany, ‘n streek in noordwes Frankryk, wat die kasteel as militêre vesting teen die koninklike mag, asook woonplek van die hertoglike hof, wou maak. Die verbeteringswerk is voortgesit deur sy dogter, die Hertogin Anne van Brittany, twee keer koningin van Frankryk deur haar opeenvolgende huwelike met Karel VIII en Louis XII. Verskillende versierings word gekenmerk deur die eerste invloede van die Italiaanse Renaissance. Na die anneksasie deur Frankryk in 1532 was die kasteel in die 16de en 17de eeu die huis van die konings van Frankryk. Daarna was dit barakke, 'n militêre arsenaal en 'n gevangenis. Die kasteel ondergaan baie transformasies gedurende die verloop van drie eeue en ook verskeie skade, naamlik 'n vuur in 1670 en 'n ontploffing in 1800. Dit word in 1862 'n historiese monument en in 1915 deur die staat aan die stad van Nantes verkoop voordat dit in 1924 as munisipale museum verklaar word. Tydens die Tweede Wêreldoorlog was dit 'n bunker vir die Duitse besettingstroepe.

The next two days were like a whirlwind romance with Nantes.

I, without getting lost (remember my lack of direction), found the flamboyant, 15th century Gothic Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne where there is access to every secret passage and portal...this castle was built for François II, the last Duke of independent Brittany, a region in northwestern France. He had the castle built as a military stronghold against the royal power, wanting to make it a place of the ducal court. The improvements were later continued by his daughter, the Duchess Anne of Brittany, twice queen of France through her successive marriages to Charles VIII and Louis XII. Different decorations are characterised by the first influences of the Italian Renaissance. After the annexation by France in 1532 the castle was home to the kings of France in the 16th and 17th centuries. Then it was used as barracks, a military arsenal and a prison. The castle underwent many transformations over the course of three centuries as well as various damages, namely a fire in 1670 and an explosion in 1800. It was declared a historical monument in 1862, sold by the state to the city of Nantes in 1915 before they declared it a municipal museum in 1924. During World War II it was a bunker for the German occupying forces.

In 32 kamers van die kasteel, trappe op en af, draaitjies en hoekies, tonneltjies en afgronde (onthou my gebrek aan rigting) word die Musée d’histoire de Nantes gehuisves...dit dek die geskiedenis van Nantes vanaf die begin tot hul toekomsvisie deur middel van ‘n multimedia aanbieding. Die museum plaas die ontwikkeling van ‘n stad te midde van belangrike momente in die Europese en wêreldgeskiedenis, soos byvoorbeeld die twee wêreldoorloë en die Franse Revolusie. Dwarsdeur die uitstallings is daar interaktiewe, didaktiese media aangebring.

In 32 rooms of the castle, up and down stairs, around turns and corners, through tunnels and chasms (remember my lack of direction) one finds the Musée d'histoire de Nantes...it covers the history of Nantes from the beginning to their future vision of the city by means of a multimedia presentation. The museum covers the development of a city through important moments in European and world history, such as the two world wars and the French Revolution. Throughout the exhibition there are interactive, didactic media.

Ek het twee Gotiese katedrale besoek...die Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes, gedurende die laat 11de en vroeë 12de eeu gebou...'n basilika met ‘n gebrandskilderde venster 20m hoog en ‘n besonderse altaar versier met 26 beelde.

I visited two Gothic cathedrals ... the Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes, built during the late 11th and early 12th century...a basilica with a stained-glass window 20 meters high and a special altar adorned with 26 statues.

Die bombardement van 16 September 1943 het die basilika, asook die nabye Place Royale (met my gunsteling ontbytrestaurantjie en vanaf die Franse Revolusie tot vandag die bymekaarkomplek van proteste, soos nou met die verkiesing van Trump), erg beskadig. Rekonstruksie het vanaf 1953 tot 1974 geduur en vandag spog hierdie kerk met die hoogste sentrale skip in Frankryk.

The bombing on 16 September 1943 severely damaged the basilica as well as the nearby Place Royale, where my favorite breakfast spot is located and since the French Revolution until today has been the venue for protests, as was now with the election of Trump. Reconstruction lasted from 1953 to 1974 and today the church boasts with the highest central nave in France.

Om die draai van Place Royale is die indrukwekkende Théâtre Graslin, die teater en operahuis van Nantes...

Around the corner from Place Royale is the impressive Théâtre Graslin, the theatre and opera house of Nantes...

Die Cathédrale Saint-Etienne-et-Saint-Paul is een van die indrukwekkendste Gotiese katedrale wat ek nog gesien het...dis enorm met soveel versteekte nisse en religieuse simboliek dis moeilik om nie iets te mis nie! Maar die katedraal het ‘n tragiese geskiedenis...bouwerk het oor 457 jaar gestrek vanaf 1434 tot 1891. Gedurende die Franse Revolusie in die 18de eeu is die katedraal as arsenaal en stalle gebruik. Op 25 Mei 1800 het ‘n groot ontploffing in een van die torings van die nabygeleë Château des Ducs de Bretagne baie skade aan die suidelike vleuel van die katedraal veroorsaak. Gedurende die nag van 10 tot 11 November 1940 het die jong Michel Dabat, student aan die Skool vir Beeldende Kunste in Nantes, in verset teen Nazi Duitsland die Franse vlag bo-op een van die torings van die katedraal gaan plaas. Hy is in hegtenis geneem, vier maande tronkstraf opgelê en 22 Oktober 1941 op die ouderdom van twintig tereggestel. Verdere skade aan die gebou deur bombardering op 15 Junie 1944 het restourasiewerk genoodsaak. Hierdie restourasie was amper voltooi toe ‘n reuse vuur op 28 Januarie 1972 die hele dakstruktuur vernietig! Vandag spog die katedraal met die mees ekstensiewe restourasie van enige katedraal in Frankryk - binne en buite. Die sentrale portaal wat die fasade versier, is in 1481 voltooi en Henry IV het in 1598, gedurende sy besoek om die Edik van Nantes te onderteken, die katedraal daardeur binnegegaan.

The Cathédrale Saint-Etienne-et-Saint-Paul is one of the most impressive Gothic cathedrals I've ever seen...it's huge with many hidden niches and religious symbolism – it’s hard not to miss anything! But the cathedral has a tragic history...construction spanned across 457 years, from 1434 to 1891. During the French Revolution in the 18th century the cathedral was used as an arsenal and stables. On May 25, 1800, a huge explosion in one of the towers of the nearby Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne caused a lot of damage to the south wing of the cathedral. During the night of 10 to 11 November 1940, the young Michel Dabat, a student at the School of Fine Arts in Nantes, raised the French flag on top of one of the towers of the cathedral in opposition to Nazi Germany. He was arrested, sentenced to four months in prison and on 22 October 1941, at the age of twenty, was executed. Further damage to the building by bombing on 15 June 1944 necessitated restoration work. This restoration was almost complete when a huge fire destroyed the entire roof structure on January 28, 1972! Today the cathedral boasts with the most extensive restoration of any cathedral in France - inside and out. In 1598 Henry IV, during his visit to sign the Edict of Nantes, entered the cathedral through the central portal that adorns the facade.

‘n Voorbeeld van vroeë Renaissance marmerwerk is die graftombe van die hertog van Brittany Francis II en sy vrou Marguerite de Foix (ouers van Anne de Bretagne). Hierdie marmertombe het Michel Colombe vyf jaar geneem om te voltooi (1502 – 1507) en is versier met die twaalf apostels en vier vroue op die hoeke wat krag, omsigtigheid, deursettingsvermoë en geregtigheid verteenwoordig. Dis eers in 1817 in die katedraal geïnstalleer.

An example of early Renaissance marble work is the tomb of the Duke of Brittany François II and his wife Marguerite de Foix (parents of 'Anne de Bretagne'). This marble tomb by Michel Colombe took five years to complete (1502 - 1507) and is decorated with the twelve apostles and four women in the corners that represent power, prudence, perseverance and justice. It was only installed in the cathedral in 1817.

En nog steeds kon ek 'n nuwe ontdekking maak (onthou my gebrek aan rigting)...Les Machines de l’îles, ‘n meganiese ontwerpfantasie! Dit is ‘n nuwe kuns- en ontwerpprojek vanuit die verbeeldings van François Delarozière en Pierre Orefice en is ‘n vermenging van die wêrelde geskep deur Jules Verne (gebore in Nantes en die eerste wetenskapsfiksieskrywer), die meganiese wêreld van Leonardo da Vinci en die industriële geskiedenis van Nantes. Aanvanklik ‘n skeepswerf is dit nou omskep in onder andere Le Carrousel des Mondes Marins (‘n mallemeule van die mariene wêrelde) drie verdiepings hoog, opgedeel in die seebodem, die afgronde en die oppervlak van die oseaan en gebaseer op Jules Verne se Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea.

And still I could make a new discovery (remember my lack of direction)...Les Machines de l'îles, a mechanical design fantasy! It is a new art and design project from the imaginations of François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice and is a fusion of the worlds created by Jules Verne (born in Nantes and the first science fiction writer), the mechanical world of Leonardo da Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes. Initially a shipyard, it is now transformed into, among others, Le Carrousel des Mondes Marins (a carousel of the marine worlds) three stories high, divided into the bottom of the sea, the deep seas and the surface of the ocean and based on Jules Verne's 'Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea'.

Dan is daar ook die ongelooflike Le Grand Éléphant gebou uit 48.4 ton staal en hout! Dit kan 50 passasiers akkommodeer en teen hoogstens 3km per uur beweeg, ge-olie deur 2,000 liters hidrouliese olie. Die reuse olifant bevat ‘n groot binnenshuise vertrek met deure wat uitgaan op balkonne, asook ‘n trap wat opgaan na die boonste terras. Ongelukkig kon ek slegs die olifant van buite besigtig aangesien hy gehiberneer het...beslis ‘n volgende besoek werd.

Then there is the incredible Le Grand Éléphant built with 48.4 tons of steel and wood! It can accommodate 50 passengers and travel at a maximum of 3km per hour, oiled by 2,000 liters of hydraulic oil. The giant elephant has a large indoor room with doors out to balconies and a staircase leading to the upper terrace. Unfortunately I could only view the elephant from outside as it was hibernating...definitely worth another visit.

Langs die hotel, waar ek tuis was, is Le Passage Pommeraye, ‘n klein half-weggesteekte inkopiesentrum wat reeds op 4 Julie 1843 geopen het. Die sentrum verbind twee strate, waarvan die een 9.4 meter hoër as die ander is. Halfpad is daar trappe en die sentrum word op ‘n volgende vlak voortgesit. Die sentrum is gevul met Renaissance-tipe beelde en is in 1976 as historiese monument verklaar. Hier het ek slegs tussen die mooi klere verdwaal!

Next to the hotel where I was staying is Le Passage Pommeraye, a small half-hidden shopping centre, opened already on July 4, 1843. The centre connects two streets, one of which is 9.4 meters higher than the other. Halfway through the centre a grand staircase continues to the next level. The centre is filled with Renaissance type sculptures and was declared a historical monument in 1976. Here I only got lost amongst the exquisite clothes!

Tydens hierdie onvergeetlike besoek het Nataniël, DIE grootste geheim van Nantes, my na ‘n restaurant Le Break geneem vir middagete. Die plat du jour (gereg van die dag) was as voorgereg botterskorsiesop met foie gras in die middel (nie een van ons kon die ander geheime bestanddele agterkom nie) en as hoofgereg goddelike kabeljou met nog meer geheime bestanddele!

During this memorable visit Nataniël, THE biggest secret of Nantes, took me for lunch at Le Break restaurant. The 'plat du jour' (dish of the day) was butternut soup with 'foie gras' in the middle (neither of us could make out the other secret ingredients) as a starter and divine cod with even more secret ingredients as the main dish!