Notes taken while at Musée de Desert, the foremost Huguenot museum in the world

Here's a smattering of notes from research done at an ancient Cevennes house turned into a chronicle of the sufferings of Huguenots over two centuries. Some of these may seem scattered, including a fun song to sing before meals, in French, as we sang it with friends at a house built in 1485.

Premier guaz from premier guest first place to cross the Gard river. This was very important strategically for Huguenots because they could watch for les dragons de roi, and this place on the river was the only place they could cross over. 

Lionel's grandmothers farm was built in 1485 so was all here during the Huguenot conflicts. Cellars where men could be hidden and were during WW II. Barrel vaulted cellars for wine making with built in barrel too large for the arched stone opening where the family would make their own wine, store their cheese, keep vegetables from spoiling in the heat. 

Boar hunting in the mountains. At Lionel's grandmothers home forest on hills.

Gospel spread to peasants because the simplicity of the gospel resonated with their simple lives, whereas the RC church never connected with or undertood the French peasant. 1561, Anduze a town of 3000 gospel preached and only 15 people remained RC. Revival.  Anduze was a place forte, a strong place with fortified walls to protect Huguenots from royal dragoons. 

Un Ami á droits, un Ami á gauche, a tous Bon appetit

(Le meme 2 fois)

Merci Seigneur pour ce repas,  

(Le meme 3 fois)

a tous Bon appetit (avec le frappe de mains, 2 fois)

Apprendre moi, learn me , the way to say it in French

Sitting on an ancient timber, cracked and worn smooth with use, that serves as a bench in the rough stone vaulted cave in the Musée de Desert, the Huguenot museum. It was once a house where Huguenots lived, worshiped, and hid. 

The desert, referred to Huguenots taking to the mountains, caves, and wherever el they could find freedom to worship.

When discovered, death for the pastors, galleys for the me, prison for the women, and convents for the children. Separating children from families was standard procedure, then placing them in convents to be instructed and brought up as RC.  A game to instruct the children of Huguenots in RC doctrine was called , Jeu de l'oie, goose game...

RPR, Religion Pretenduë Reformée, the name RC called Huguenot faith

One king, one law, one faith.

Dragonnades, persecutions.

Booted missionaries, RC who persecuted Huguenots to try to make them convert to RC. Implements of torture on display, real thumb screws, forks, used on real people, Christians who were persecuted and killed.

Le Prophétisme, controversial, men preached the gospel in perfect French who had no formal theological training and who spoke only a dialect and they could not read french... 

Grain barrel pulpit, communion ware that screwed apart and looked like something else

Bibles de chignon (buns in women's hair) to hide bibles, see picture

Dragon poking with his bayonet baillonette, or lance searching for bibles, later two tears in bible pages but no detection

They would take false names to hide identity, dit la veille, the vigilant. La joue rouge, the red cheek