Domaine de la Garde, Bourg-en-Bresse,
France
On 6-12 June 2015, we were invited by Friedrich and Margareta von Kirchbach
to their mid-nineteenth century chateau in the forested Domaine de la Garde
on the edge of Bourg-en-Bresse, France, on the other side of the Jura
Mountains from Geneva, for a week-long retreat on nature and spirituality.
Participants included the Venerable Olande Ananda, a Buddhist monk from Sri
Lanka; Deepal Sooriyaarachchi and his wife Duni, a meditation teacher also
from Sri Lanka; Sheikh Mahmood Rashid, head of the Naqshbandia Sufi order
from Kashmir and England; Michael and Christa Möbius, a theologian and a
Protestant pastor from Germany; my old Quaker friend Edouard Dommen and his
wife Bridget; another friend Philippe Roch, former Director of the Swiss
Federal Office for the Environment and author of books on nature and
spirituality; and Kathleen Koch, a Christian from France. I had a half day
to present the Baha'i approach to nature and spirituality.
Brou Royal Monastery
Before the start of the retreat, we had an opportunity to visit the nearby
Royal Monastery of Brou, a magnificant flamboyant Gothic mausoleum and three
cloisters built in the XVI century (1513-1532) by Marguerite of Austria,
regent of the Netherlands, daughter of Emperor Maximilien I of Hapsburg and
Marie of Bourgogne, in memory of her love for her late husband Philibert le
Beau, Duke of Savoy, who died in 1504. The rich decorations in
unbelievably-fine stonework miraculously survived destruction during the
French revolution when most church properties were desecrated.
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Facade of the church; decorative tile roof; church seen from the
cloister
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Entrance to the monastery; plan of the monastery
with three cloisters
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Marguerite of Austria who commissioned the monastery; her son;
painting of the church some centuries ago
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Entrance from the monastery to the church; vaulted ceilings in the
church
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church interior with fine gothic stonework and woodwork
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Baptismal font; side chapel; separation between the nave and the
choir
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Choir with three tombs of Philibert in centre, Marguerite of Austria
on left, and Marguerite of Bourgogne (mother of Philibert) on right; fine
stonework
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Place for Marguerite of Austria above the choir; wooden stalls for
the monks
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Tombs of Philibert le Beau and his wife Marguerite of Austria; tomb
of his mother Marguerite of Bourgogne; tomb of Philibert
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Tomb of Philibert le Beau, Duke of Savoy, in royal regalia (above)
and as a corps (below); details of the tomb
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Tomb of Marguerite of Austria, who commissioned the rebuilding of the
monastery, with chapel of Mary behind
Chapel of the Virgin Mary
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Chapel of the Virgin Mary to the side of Marguerite's tomb
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Altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary; chapel window
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Altar stonework; chapel ceiling
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Windows around the choir, including the coats of arms of Marguerite's
heritage
The three cloisters
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Domaine de la Garde
The Domaine de la Garde is a 50 hectare wall-enclosed forest reserve on the
outskirts of Bourg-en-Bresse in France. The Chateau de la Garde was last
rebuilt in 1843 in a classical style, surrounded by gardens, farm buildings
and pastures.
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Chateau de la Garde
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Interiors of the chateau
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East, west and south facades of the chateau
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Driveway to the chateau; spring-fed fountain, stables and greenhouse
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Rhododendrons in the garden; terrace on the east side; swimming pool,
barn and stables with apartment
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Chateau gardens
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Giant Sequoia damaged by lightning; pump in the garden
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Views from the chateau roof
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Stables from the chateau roof; old churchbell to call for meals; view
from the east terrace towards the Jura mountains
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Stables, carriage house and pig stye
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American tulip tree in the garden, one of more than 50 different
trees in the landscaped garden
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Pastures around the chateau; part of the wall around the Domaine de
la Garde rebuilt with old roof tiles
Retreat on Nature and Spirituality
Our hosts, Friedrich and Margareta von Kirchbach, bought the chateau a
couple of years ago, and are restoring it as a spiritual retreat and arts
centre, following on a tradition of Friedrich's father of holding
inter-faith gatherings in Altenhof, Germany. Our week-long retreat on nature
and spirituality was their first event.
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The group gathered for the retreat; morning meditations, prayers and
hymns
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Sufi Sheikh Mahmood Rashid presenting
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My old friend and Quaker Ed Dommen presenting; a meal in the dining
room
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Another group picture; some discussions took place outside in the
garden
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Presenters included Olande Ananda, a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka;
Dr. Philippe Roch, former Swiss Director of Environment (another friend);
the Sufi and the Buddhist
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Meditation in nature
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We went for walks through the fields and forest to a cross
overlooking the chateau
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On the excursion to Brou; sheikh on a hot tin roof; examining the
bell for calling people to meals
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Walks in the forest; clearing a fallen tree from the path (since I
had a saw in my car)