A modest but interesting site about a historical puzzle: whether an anchorite lived in the medieval priory of Notz in central France, and whether various images and the possible discovery of a hagioscope or squint (or even two) in the abbey church points to a resident anchorite. The site is in French. Brought to our attention by a friend of Hermitary.
Jacque Vigne, hermit
French television spot about hermit Jacque Vigne, who lives in India and has recently published India Within (not yet translated into English). The short video describes Vigne as the “thinking man’s hermit. Twenty-two years ago, French doctor Jacques Vigne gave up his career to go to India to meditate and write. Brief glimpse of his daily routines.
URL: http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/news/culture.html. If no longer on the home page, search March 26, 2007 and click “Psychology.”
Daniel Bourguet
A brief article from the Eglise Reformee de France web site on Daniel Bourguet, Protestant hermit, including a photograph of him in front of his hermitage. URL: http://www.erf-clr.org/communautes_et_centres.php?rub=184&nid=218&tag=1180.
Brought to our attention by a friend of Hermitary. See also a translated article about him in Hermitary: http://hermitary.com/articles/bourguet.html.
Le Recours aux forêts
The French-language web site Le Recours aux forêts offers articles on the philosophy of forests, the art of making a forest cabin (i.e., hermit hut), about tree houses and wilderness shelters, vagabonding, Thoreau, Ernest Junger and much more. URL: http://www.lerecoursauxforets.org. Thanks to a friend of Hermitary for pointing out this interesting site.
Hermits in Art: Ansoald
From the Bibliotheque nacionale de France: a medieval woodcut depicts Ansoald, the seventh-century bishop of Poitiers, visiting a hermit. The woodcut dates from the 14th-century and clearly depicts the hermit as an anchorite. URL: http://www.bnf.fr/enluminures/texte/manuscrit/aman5/i1_0017.htm.