Orgon

 Once the rain had stopped, we were keen to leave  the damp tent and risk of tenchfoot, and so we drove into the town of Orgon.

It's not a very big place, split between the old quarter ( nice town square,winding streets, parish church etc), a museum with quite a few interesting fossils (besides us), and the not so old bit ( peeling shop fronts, general grubbiness but some rather excellent tarmacking being carried out)

 The town is situated the foot of a large hill, on top of which is the monastery and church of Notre Dame, which claims to house a statue of the Virgin Mary from the 14th century. Apparently she was cast into a chasm by some ne'er do well in the 16th century only to be miraculously recovered some 300 years later none the worse for wear.

Sniffing a bit of a tall tale, I proceeded to search the church thoroughly, and, sad to say, but not really unexpectedly, found zero evidence of the Miraculous Madonna.

This statue stands at the entrance to the church grounds. It appears to be a cack handed attempt at a wizard, possibly Merlin, possibly Gandalf. One thing is certain. It's not a representation of the lady in question. She didn't have a beard for a start........

Yet another French swizz, and a poor one at that.

Just not trying whatsoever....