Category Archives: France

Lordy Lord, Lourdes! Pilgrimage Site Suffers Record Flooding

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Nicholas Merkelson

The rainwater and snowmelt that flooded southwest France just over a week ago has finally receded.  The normally tranquil Gave de Pau river rose as much as 15 feet, spilling over its banks and pouring into medieval towns across the Pyrenees. … Continue reading →

Posted in cultural conservation, cultural sustainability, culture, endangered sites, floods, France, heritage, heritage tourism, Lourdes, pilgrimage, Roman Catholic, site conservation, Uncategorized, UNESCO, World Heritage List | Leave a comment

Endangered Breton Language Faces Extinction

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Nicholas Merkelson

In previous posts I have explored the alarming issue of language loss as it relates to the preservation (and extinction) of collective human knowledge and world cultures. Whether reporting the death of the last living member of the Bo language group, discussing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Breton, culture, endangered language, France, identity, intangible cultural heritage, Smithsonian | Leave a comment