Never say never about Nevers

Gordon

We last visited Nevers while on the Vezelay pilgrimage route to Santiago. During that visit it was cold and rainy, and we were staying in less than ideal pilgrim accommodation. This visit has gone much better. The temperature is a pleasant 25 degrees, allowing us to read and eat in the atrium of our hotel. We are staying with the Cat Lady of Nevers. The reviews of the hotel are divided, with the watershed being your opinion of cats. We are cat people (sounds like a 12 steps declaration, doesn’t it) so it has turned out to be a good choice for us. We have counted 10 cats so far, with up to 5 joining us at any particular time.

Nevers is also the city where Bernadette’s body is on display. In 1858 the Virgin Mary appeared to the 14 year old Bernadette in a grotto near Lourdes. She later joined a convent in Nevers, where she lived until her death in 1879. She was canonized in 1925. Her incorruptible body has been on display since that time, and admittedly she does look quite good.