What I like most about Paris is her ability to surprise me. You can expect some thing extra-ordinary at every turn. You never know when you will suddenly come face-to-face with ancient and beautiful architecture, a 15th century abbey, a stunning fountain or "butchers knighting ceremony". I never seized to be awe-struck and love to expect surprises.
We were walking towards the Tour Saint Jacques and came across a ceremony resplendent with colourful pageantry. There on the top of the flight of stairs lined by men in blue cloaks and white aprons stood a resplendent knight being being dubed on the shoulders by a sword. All around the grounds stood men in blue wearing white aprons, while the bands played on.
We wondered what it was we were witnessing and asked some locals. This apparently was a Butchers ceremony and knighting of the butchers. A serious gastronomical professional affair. And were we privileged to witness it.
The story goes that the Tower of Saint Jacques is the last remnant of the ancient church of Saint Jacques de Boucher (The patron saint of butchers). It was built in 1509 to 1523, during the reign of King Francis I.The ancient church and its landmark tower welcomed pilgrims setting out on the road that led to Tours and headed for the way of St James, which led to the major pilgrimage destination of Sant'Iago de Compostela. A statue of Blaise Pascal is located at the base of the tower, commemorating the experiments on atmospheric pressure and meteorological laboratory is currently installed at the top of the tower.This is said to be the inspiration behind Dumas' play La tour Saint-Jacques-de-la-boucherie .
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