Sundial Sightings

Across Eglise, Ste. May

This dial can be found in the small village of Ste. May. It is located in the street of the church, but not on the side of the church.

The dial shows hourlines from 7 to 6 o’clock. I am surprised that I do not see a shadow. I was there around 10 o’clock summer time, but the whole wall was still in the shadow.

The dial shows a motto in french “vous ne save le jour ni l’heure” and latin “nescitis diem neque horam”. This translates to “you do not know day nor hour”.

The dial shows a pigeon and olive twigs.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Across Eglise, Ste. May, Drôme, France	5.318044	44.426663

Rue de Cimetiere, Ste May

This sundial can be found in the small village of Ste. May. The dial is on a side street to the left when one walks from the main squary to the cemetary.

This sundial has an industrial look at first glance. However the dial is inclined to the west and the layout reflects this. The dial has hourlines from 11 to 7 o’clock.

The dial shows a white pigeon and an olive twig.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Rue vers la cimetière, Ste. May, Drôme, France	5.318017	44.426623

Place de la Republique, Perpignan

This is a very simple dial in Perpignan. It is in round frame. The gnomon has an annulus at the top, but it is not used any further.

The dial shows hour lines from 6 to 4 o’clock.

The motto says “Ultima l’a tet”. I guess this is in Catalan. I have no idea what it means (ultimately time wil have you?)

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Southern Side, Place de la Republique, Perpignan, Pyrénées Orientales, France	2.895120	42.698749

La Cite, Carcassonne

This dial can be found in the old city of Carcassonne France. It is a pretty complex one.

You can see hourlines frm 12 to 8 o’clock. The 1 o’clock line has an analamna superposed on it. The dial also shows the solar declination (in red) with lines at -23.27, -20, -12, 0, +11, +20 and +23.27. Between these lines one can see the zodiacal sign, which show where the sun is at that declination.

In between the declination lines one can see lines in red, which are number from 0 to +6. I am not able to decode the extra grey lines, which are perpendicular to the red lines. They seem to go from +6 to -7. I do not know what these lines mean.

In the lower right is a diagram, which I do not get. It shows an inclined plane with the earth at the center. It says horae. It suggests that it has something to do with the moon. It seems to be related to the red and grey numbers on the dial. I have the feeling that it has to do with the moon.

The motto is very simple: Carpe Diem. The gnomon is set in a sun. At the top of the dial one can see 5 signs for the major planets. I wonder whether their arrangement has any deeper meaning.

The dial is create by RRJ Rohr (written in the lower left corner). The dial was create in may(?) 1961.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Place du Chateau, La Cité, Carcassonne, Aude, France	2.364382	43.206396

Association Ste. Blaise Chamandrin

This is a modern sundial created in 2005 by CVM.

The dial shows hourlines from 10 to 8 o’clock.

The design is simple with just a sun flower.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Avenue de Provence, Ste. Blaise, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.612763	44.874901

Wooden Dial, Ste Blaise

I am not sure whether this is an interesting dial. The orientation of the dial is totale wrong, it orients to much to the west. It might be one of those tourist things.

However the dial seem to be old. The dial is engraved in wood. It shows a date of 1905 and is created by a Mr. Purn.

I was not abel to decipher the motto well, it seems to be in the provencal language. The dial is elaborately engraved with a sun at the top and a flower pot at the bottom.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Maison, Prelles, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.613005	44.876636

Maison Ferrus, Ste. Blaise

An interesting combined sundial on the corner of a house. As far as can be seen, it has the same design on both dials, except for the hour lines. The dials seem to be from 1870.

The eastern dial has half-hour and hourlines from 5 to 1 o’clock. There is also a line of equinoxes visible, as well as some design circles. The western dial has half-hour and hourlines from 10 to 7 o’clock. It also has a line of equinoxes and design circles.

The motto of the dial is no longer readible. The quality of the dial seems to be deteriorating. The styluses are no longer well oriented. The motto used to read ‘’ Tempori Servio. Sol me vos umbra regit’’, which means “I am the server of time. For me it is the sun that reigns, for you it is the shadow”.

The dials have the style of Zarbula: a trompe l’oeil cadre, a curtain on the top with five knots, two flower pots. The stylus is set in a sun and above the the curtain there is a wooden stick or snakes. At the top one can see the coq as symbol for France.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Maison Ferrus, Rue de Pierrefeu, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.613204	44.876274

Rue des Casses, Prelles

This dial is on a private house close to the church. The dial is from 1853.

The dial has half-hour and hourlines from 5 to 4 o’clock.

The motto of the dial is “aussi rapide que l’Onde, le temps s’enfuit”, which translates to “as fast as the wave(?), time passes”.

The dial has a modern look with the mountain, rivers and trees. It is a depiction of the mountain the Montbrison, visible behind the village.

There is an older dial is underneath this one. The dial has been restored by Evelyne et Norbert Peyrot.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Rue des Casses, Prelles, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.580146	44.854056

Maison Communale, Prelles

This dial is on the communal house in Prelles The dial was created in 1845.

The dial faces to the east and has hour and half-hour liens from 5 to 1 o’clock. The dial also has a line of equinoxes.

The dial has no motto

The dial reminds me of the designs by Zarbula. It is created in trompe l’oeil fashion (lighting from the bottom-left). It has two flower pots on top and in the middle an eagle. There is a curtain above the stylus with five knots (reference ro christ), a moon and masonic signs.

The dial has been restored in 1984 by le Club du Vieux Manoir.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Maison Communales, Prelles, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.580558	44.854667

Facade Sud-Ouest, Les Pres

This dial is on a chapelle dedicated to Sainte Marie Magdeleine. The dial was created in 1718

The dial has hourlines from 10 to 3 ‘clock. Interestingly there are hourlines in red and blue, which indicates a redrawing of the dial by different dial makers.

The motto reads “Povr un momt de delices, vne eternite de svplicces”, which relates to the live of Sainte Marie Magdeleine.

The dial has an austere look with fairly modern lettering.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Chapelle, Les Prés, Puy St. Vincent, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.50156	44.82522

Facade Sud-Est, Les Pres

This dial is on a chapelle dedicated to Sainte Marie Magdeleine. I dial was created in 1718.

The dial has hourlines from 10 to 3 o’clock. Interestingly there are hourlines in red and blue, which indicates a redrawing of the dial by different dial makers.

The motto of the dial is “ars longa vita brevis”, which translates to “Art (creation) is long, live is short”.

The dial has an austere look with fairly modern lettering.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Chapelle, Les Prés, Puy St. Vincent, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.501558	44.825112

Pizzeria, Puy St. Romain

This dial can be found on the eastern facade of the pizzeria Le Cadran Solaire in Puy St. Vincent. In may 2006 the pizzeria was closed, so the name of the place might change. The dial dates from 1737 (source).

The dial shows hour lines from 6 to 1 o’clock.

The motto says “Parentes Patientia Vince”, which translates to “patience of man will win”. The checqueres background is quite interesting.

The restoration of the dial has been done in july 1985. The restoration used modern acrylic paints, which have destroyed it’s original feel.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Pizzeria, Puy St. Romain, Puy St. Vincent, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.485772	44.830826

Facade Sud, Chapelle Saint Sebastien

This sundial is on the southern facade of the chapelle saint sebastien in Le Villard, Valouise. This facade of the church has alsoe several other drawings. The dial is from 1869 and created (and signed) by Zarbula. The dial has been restored in 1997.

The dial shows hour and half-hour lines from 8 to 5 o’clock. It also has a line of equinoxes.

The motto says “ne compte pas sur la premiere car tout depend de la derniere”, do not count on your first (hour), everything depends on your last (hour)”.

The dial is created in a trompe l’oeil fashion. It has a peacock on top and two flower pots (sign of abundance?). It presents a curtain with 5 knots at the top. The Stylus is set in a drawing of a face and has a moon below it. Note the masonic signs.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Facade Sud, Chapelle Saint Sébastien, Le Villard, Vallouise, Hautes-Alpes, France.	6.472850	44.8418

Facade Est, Chapelle Saint Sebastien

This sundial faces the east. It was created by Zarbula in 1869.

The dial shows half-hour and hourlines from 6 to 11 o’clock.

The motto says “Sin Nube Placet”, which means “Without clouds, it’s pleasant”

Thhe dial shows a bird, a peacock. It is above two horns of abundance, which drop flowers. It is an image of wellbeing and fertility.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Chapelle Saint Sébastien, Le Villard, Vallouise, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.472840	44.841711

Maison de Bardonneche

This sundial dates from 1840 and was created by Giovanni Fransesco Zarbula. His initials (ZGF) can be found on the dial ath the top left. The dial was ordered by the Marquise Françoise Ponce de Bardonnèche. Her name can be seen on the dial as well (M-me F-se P. d-B). Zarbula stayed several years with the Marquise.

The dial shows half-hour and our lines. It also shows a line of equinoxes, which probably works with the tiop of the stylus. Note that the sundial is now in the shadow, at midday end of may. Thus the dial can only be used in the evenings or the winter.

The motto says “In Lucem Omnia Tua. Vita Fugit Sicut Umbra. Coelium Regula, Forte Tua”. This translates to “In full light all is vain. Live passes like shadow. Heaven is the rule, chance is yours”. At the top one can also se the capitals IHS, which means Iesus Hominum Salvator and translates to Jesus, saviour of mankind.

Note the two phantasmagorical animals at the top of the sundial. The dial is created in a trompe l’oeil fashion.

This sundial has been restored by Atelier Tournesol in 1990.

Album	Location	Longitude	Latitude
	Maison de Bardonnèche, Vallouise, Hautes-Alpes, France	6.487320	44.845849