Bourges : les jardins de l'archevêché [1]

In his book A Little Tour in France (1884), Henry James writes of Bourges and its cathedral: “The archiepiscopal palace... is visible as a stately habitation of the last century, at the time of my visit under repair after a fire. From this side and from the gardens of the palace the nave of the cathedral is visible in all its great length and height, with its extraordinary multitude of supports.” I myself enjoyed seeing the cathedral from the gardens, and I also enjoyed taking photos of a lot of flowers.

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James continues, describing the time he spent there: “The gardens aforesaid, accessible through tall iron gates, are the promenade — the Tuileries — of the town, and, very pretty in themselves, are immensely set off by the overhanging church. It was warm and sunny; the benches were empty; I sat there a long time in that pleasant state of mind which visits the traveller in foreign towns, when he is not too hurried, while he wonders where he had better go next. The straight, unbroken line of the roof of the cathedral was very noble...”