My imagination is running wild: I’m the youngest daughter of a wealthy and well-respected 19th century family. The day begins with the daily prayers in our private chapel. My sleepy head is swimming with Latin and incense. Sit. Stand. Kneel. And repeat.

Join me in Domaine Lescure’s charming little chapel, set on a elevation with its entrance facing the wooden doors of the castle. Stained glass windows (not original, alas) impart faint hues as sunlight filters through them. At some point the tiny room must have boasted prayer benches and an altar, but except for some pieces of the communion rail, there’s little left. The very absence of things actually strengthens the silence and sense of serenity, inviting introspection and calm. So, while I’m charmed by the idea of marking the place where heaven and earth meet, I’m not sure yet whether we’ll be restoring what’s left of the wooden altar rail. Whatever we decide to do, the chapel lends itself perfectly for meditation and contemplation.

Lakshmi Light

Along the path that leads up to the chapel there’s a tiny shrine carved out of the stone wall, almost totally devoured by the woods. We’ve cleared the space and planted a rose nearby the shrine. I make a point of lighting a candle in a Lakshmi tea light during our stays at Lescure. Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of prosperity, purity, generosity, and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. May these good things befall Lescure and all those who visit.