When she first arrived in Sainte Catherine de Fierbois, near Tours, from the north-east of France, Joan stayed in the pilgrim hostelry, dressed in men's clothing, with her six male companions, on her way to see the Dauphin Charles, on 4 and 5 March 1429. From here she wrote Charles a letter requesting to see him. He responded favourably and sent two men to escort her to Chinon.
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Former pilgrim hostelry where Joan stayed in Sainte Catherine de
Fierbois. |
From Sainte Catherine de Fierbois Joan travelled to Chinon to meet the young king for the first time. She would have taken the lovely route along the small river valleys through charming villages such as Crissay sur Manse. According to tradition, she sheltered from a storm at the Chapel of Notre-Dame de Lorette along the way, on 6 March 1429. Each year, this is a place of pilgrimage on the first Sunday in October.
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Chateau de Crissay sur Manse. |
The king was unsure if he could trust Joan and her voices, so he set a cunning
test for her at their first meeting. He mingled with the crowd in the room
whilst a friend sat on the throne and pretended to be the king. Legend has it
that Joan entered the room and went straight to the real King and knelt in
front of him. This was enough to convince the king that God was speaking
through Joan. The truth is that he was also greatly influenced by his
formidible mother in law, Yolande of Aragon, the Duchess of Anjou, who had
been one of the first to see the potential in Joan as someone who could
inspire the demoralised French troops into another push against the English.
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Chapel of Notre Dame de Lorette, carved into the rock, where Joan
sheltered in a storm. |
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The Fortress of Chinon, where Joan first met the young King Charles
VII. |
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