R.I.P Léonard Tandeau de Marsac. Co-founder of l’Hospitalité St Jacques, Estaing. (Voie du Puy)

[lovingkindness]

Léonard and Élisabeth Tandeau de Marsac.
photo by Denis Meyer/Hans Lucas pour La Vie.

It is with sorrow that I share with you all the passing of M. Léonard Tandeau de Marsac on Saturday January 14, 2023. Léonard was co-founder of l’Hospitalité St Jacques in the village of Estaing (Voie du Puy) . Over the years many of us here on the forum will have found refuge with Léonard and his wife Élisabeth and had the pleasure of meeting others in the community about them.

I have such fine memories of my times in Estaing. Perhaps you do too - dining en famille; listening to the beauty of sung prayers in an old room with dark wooden paneling, parquet floor and stained glass windows; the pleasure of playing on a little white piano in the childrens' knook; listening wide eyed as Léonard recounted how it was that he and his family came to establish l’Hospitalité St Jacques; the wonder of it all, that one of their children was actually born on 25 July, 4 months after Léonard and family had walked into Santiago de Compostelle, and, being a boy, there really was only one name for him and that was Jacques! Thank you Léonard and Élisabeth for your hospitality...

Offering my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Léonard Tandeau de Marsac
-Lovingkindness


l’Hospitalité St Jacques, Estaing


Here are links to an interview of Léonard and Élisabeth Tandeau de Marsac, a eulogy and an anouncement ( in french):

*On welcoming strangers, an interview: Léonard and Élisabeth Tandeau de Marsac (20/03/2019)

Élisabeth et Léonard Tandeau de Marsac : Accueillir les étrangers

Quatrième oeuvre de miséricorde : « Accueillir les étrangers ». Depuis 26 ans ce couple reçoit dans l'Aveyron des pèlerins en marche vers Saint-Jacques-de-Compo

www.lavie.fr

*“We are sad to announce the death of Léonard Tandeau de Marsac, Saturday January 14, 2023, who welcomed pilgrims to Estaing with his wife Elisabeth. Together Léonard and Élisabeth created the l’Hospitalité St Jacques in 1992..." Webcompostella

*Eulogy prepared by friends of Léonard Tandeau de Marsac:

L'hospitalité Saint Jacques en deuil - Site de la Paroisse Saint Bernard d'Olt

Cette semaine nous avons appris avec tristesse de l’entrée dans la Lumière de Dieu de Léonard TANDEAU DE MARSAC. Nous nous unissons dans la prière à toute sa famille Texte préparé par ses amis d’Estaing pour ses obsèques Léonard, tu étais médecin homéopathe à Orléans, Élisabeth, ton épouse...

paroissesaintbernarddoltespalion.fr

 

[J Willhaus]

He is mentioned the the new book by Laurie Dennett, Waybread. That part of the book made me cry when I read about the hospitality offered at Estaing. It is the kind of hospitalera I strive to be.

 

[Dave]

It is with sorrow that I share with you all the passing of M. Léonard Tandeau de Marsac on Saturday January 14, 2023. Léonard was co-founder of l’Hospitalité St Jacques in the village of Estaing (Voie du Puy) . Over the years many of us here on the forum will have found refuge with Léonard and his wife Élisabeth and had the pleasure of meeting others in the community about them.

This is very sad. As noted, until Laurie's book I didn't appreciate just how long the history was for l’Hospitalité St Jacques. That would have counted as an early arriver on the Camino Francés; on the Via Podiensis, though, it truly stood at the forefront of the resurgence of pilgrim hospitality. And to sustain that for more than three decades! Just a remarkable service to pilgrims and an amazing record to leave behind.