Definition: Saint Madeleine

At the foot of the Morvan foothills, the famous Basilica of Sainte-Madeleine-de-Vézelay stands on a hill bathed in sunlight. In this second most popular pilgrimage site in France, celebrations are in full swing on 22 July in this small village steeped in religious, political and cultural history. Madeleine, the repentant sinner, left the Holy Land by boat after witnessing the resurrection of Christ. She disembarked in Marseille and retired naked to a cave in the Sainte Baume desert. Her relics were then transferred from Sainte Baume to the Basilica of Saint-Maximin in Provence, then to Saint-Père-sous-Vézelay, finally coming to rest in 878 in the eponymous basilica founded by the Benedictines. The hill of Vézelay inspires pilgrims, writers and winegrowers alike. Here, a number of famous figures coexist in a historical confrontation. How has this place of strong devotion to Saint Mary Magdalene become the emblematic crossroads for those seeking inspiration, initiation, tasting, meditation, seclusion and even creation? No doubt the geography of the place offers all of the following: spiritual retreat for believers, walking trails for pilgrims, peaceful rest for writers, and generous soil for winegrowers. Vézelay thus represents four areas of attraction:

The Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene.
From the narthex towards the nave, one discovers the architectural splendour that combines the Romanesque style of the entrance with the Gothic style of the choir. There are a few rare references to wine and vines in the numerous sculptures on the tympanum (pruning vines, harvesting grapes and a man holding a cup of wine) and on the capitals of the narthex (two men eating grapes No. 2 and a bunch of Canaan grapes No. 14).
The Basilica of Sainte Madeleine has witnessed many famous events: Saint Bernard preaching the crusade, Thomas Becket praying before his martyrdom, Philip Augustus and Richard the Lionheart gathering their troops before setting off for Jerusalem, King Saint Louis and many others.
A stop on the way to Santiago de Compostela
Vézelay is also one of the four main starting points for the walking trails to Santiago de Compostela. This route, known as the Via Lemovicensis, follows the paths of the oldest wine-growing regions (Bourbonnais, Sancerre, Berry, Bergerac, Montbazillac, Duras and Marmande, passing through Orthez, Saint Palais and Irouléguy) before crossing the Pyrenees.

A village of writers
The village of Vézelay is also a resting place for warrior writers. Many have chosen the eternal mountain to rest in peace. On this inspiring hill, the cemetery at the foot of the basilica is the final resting place of Max Pol Fouchet, Georges Bataille, Maurice Clavel and the most famous of all, Jules Roy. There is also the smallest publishing house called "Or des étoiles", established in 1995 and run by Laurent Hecquet. Vézelay is literary thought, it is the imaginary world of rare or elevated books, derived directly from ancient mystical and religious works. Saint Madeleine watches over and inspires remembrance.

A wine appellation
Finally, on the slopes surrounding the holy site, vines have been revived since 1975. Melon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir give this magical place an AOC label of a Vézelay Burgundy with tangy and floral notes. It is in Asquin, a neighbouring commune, that the wine-growing elite expresses itself best, without forgetting the three neighbouring hillsides of Saint-Père, Tharoiseau and Vézelay. Among them is a young couple who have switched from books to wine. Isabelle and Patrick Georgelin, former Parisian booksellers, now manage the Faverelles estate. The Burgundy bottles, with their bulbous shape reminiscent of a pilgrim's water bottle, bear a label illustrated with a hollyhock, the symbol of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
The mass is said, the journey is over, the book is closed and the wine is drunk. Madeleine offers a glimpse of ease and serenity and shows us the way to Santiago. In this enchanting and enchanted place, it is important to remember that wine and writing require spirituality and contemplation.