The alchemist Bruissin

The Fort du Bruissin is a fort in Francheville, near the city of Lyon. It's built between 1878 and 1881, the fort is part of the Séré de Rivières system of fortifications built in the late

19th century. It has been rehabilitated as a contemporary artists' community. The Fort en Jazz festival is held there each year (since 1990). Some places have not been renovated, you can

feel their authenticity. Then you understand the feeling I'm really against plastering or smoothing. The 10-hectare (25-acre) grounds are a community park and nature preserve.

The Bruissin Fort was bought from the state by the municipality of Francheville in 1981. Crossbow recorded about 1 week 1 episode overhere (around 1986 1987). I believe this place would have been pretty unspoilt.

In 1989, the new PS municipality, led by René Lambert, decided to dedicate the place to culture. The fort hosts artists, shows and exhibitions in residence. Since 1990, it has also hosted a reputable jazz festival.

The place has just been rehabilitated to host a contemporary art center of 1300 m2. The architect Michel Essertier designed a simple and modest project consisting in "finding the axis of circulation and the

original architecture", with a concern for sobriety and reversibility of the facilities. The artistic direction was entrusted to the Strasbourg Sandra Cattini who came here because she was "excited by the idea of

this medium-sized art center, in a beautiful heritage place, in the middle of 10 ha of woodland. " The artistic purpose holds in two challenges. "The artistic programming must be different from other

contemporary art galleries," explains Sandra Cattini. A reception is built in opposite of the gate and so it's easier to receive invitees and Tourists for a concert or a tour. In the late afternoon the main gate get closed.

Nowadays, alchemy in general imaging is reduced to a dark practice from the Middle Ages, with stories about creating gold from lead. When we think of an alchemist, we soon see an old bearded man who mumbles

strange magic formulas above a bubbling cauldron, hoping to make gold out of lead. We owe that image primarily to the mystery with which alchemists have enveloped themselves over the centuries. This is not

a coincidence; the alchemists were convinced that those who were not ready for the knowledge and wisdom that alchemy brought did not need to know anything about it. They designed intricate secret

The Alchemist is played by David Warner. He played in almost 200 television and movieproductions! He is born in 1941 and in 2015 he was still active.

Scene: Tell and Eleanor entering his territory. Tell is smashed off his horse by a trap of the alchemist. He takes Tell and Eleanor to 'Master Vogel's place.' There Tell has to face the five trials of the Alchemist.

Before he can make a choice Vogel drops Tell into the tunnels of danger. Although this adventurous place has a location close to the big city Lyon, you will not notice it and It is unremarkable due to a lot of forest.

As soon as you have taken the last road from the busy suburb to come on a small forest road and you have the idea of being far away from the city. That is actually true! We find the transition from city to the

2015 2015 To the caponiere is the left door (also the picture in the middle).

The place you see above is most certain what you see below. This alley leads to the caponniere further in de forest. Fun time.

Francois Arconciel (Roger Daltry, singer of the Who). Dana could get along with him very well. She took many photos of him.

But the first thing that went through my mind was (after seeing Eleanor without her father) "Where is Stefan?"

After the adventure of episode 13 'the Misalliance,' they lost sight of Stefan. It's guessing what happened after he fall from the rock. Eleanor followed Tell and did she go back to her wounded dad?

What happened in the previous episode? Gaston has captured both Gessler and Tell. Eleanor makes every effort to get Tell released quickly, she even enters te belly of the beast. She went to Gessler’s camp to

see Tyroll and she ventures into collaboration with him, which works out very well, because Tyroll shows his best side. Unfortunately that has nasty consequences for him. They both follow Gaston, they have

the same goal. She tries to free Tell and Tyroll gets Gessler. That doesn't seem that easy. We do not see if she has had the opportunity to go back to help her father or if he was no longer there and was taken

away or found by someone or he was wandering around with concussion. Anyway next episode he is taken to a madhouse in episode 'Possesed.' So Stefan fell in the previous episode, The Alchemist has

unfortunately no Stefan in it. This episode is in between and in the next episode he is found confused and taken by the blackknights to the madhouse (episode 15 Possessed).

Scene: This episode they are riding without Stefan, crossing the forest. Eleanor sings a song of Francois Arconciel. She tells about Francois. Tell seems to like it and

asks her to sing some more. Then 2 seconds later Tell seems to hear something and asks her to shut up. Eleanor incensed: "make up your mind?" They are close to danger..

William thinks it was just imagination, he turns his face to Eeanor to talk about Francois. Then ít goes wrong quickly.

Tell is knock out and Eleanor sees suddenly a strange man approching them. A man in dark clothing. Looking at his shoes, the man has a fairly high status. During the middle ages this

high shoe points indicates an important person. Crossbow filmed him slowly from feet to top, to build up the tension ;) Look at his huge amulet with a nice bow on it.

A moment later ...Tell awakes alone. He wants to leave the room but the door is locked, then he spots a beautiful silver crossbow. While he is looking he noticed that someone is watching him....

Vogel appears...and then suddenly disappears. Is it imagination or is it real? Tell seems to doubt. The alchemist seems to have a kind of magic in some way. Tell asks were Eleanor is, but gets

no answers. Tell again: 'I asked you where she is?' It annoys Vogel: 'You may not ask me questions, William Tell. You don't know what world you have entered.... "

"A nice weapon huh? Grab it! It's useless for me but a marksman like you likes it. Perhaps we can arrange something...You do have something I would like to have."

Tell firmly: 'No!' Vogel appears and disappears a couple of times to show his knowledge. Then he disappeared for quit a long time. Vogel insists again: 'the girl for the crossbow. Perhaps your

arrow will reach it's purpose over a distance of 300 meters...' Tell puts the Crossbow back. A while later Eleanor walks in enthusiastic: 'I'm glad you are oke! Master Vogel will take care of you!'

They made many low shots (no roof, very much floor and no sides) all curtains. It's because the roof is low and bended.

Scene: Then an ancient small lute or Nyckelharpa starts to play sweet music. Vogel's wife played lute. Eleanor asked what happened: 'Did she die?' Then a thunderstorm arises and he shouts out with a loud voice:

'She ran off with a juggler!! Eleanor looks shocked at William, who is just saying: 'We were just about to go' and he takes Eleanor by the arm. Vogel: 'Everyone must do the 5 trials of the Alchemist..'

I'm really not interested in your tricks!' Vogel: Tricks? tricks? It's knowledge, 2000 years old secret knowledge! You will learn that or you will be punished.' Tell: 'And if I refuse?' 'Then you will die

and she becomes the second wife of Master Vogel. Vogels sounds like a spoilt child: 'It's my game, I make the rules! Do you see this timeglass? It measures the time. When the sand has run through

the game is over.' "And when did this game begin?" It has already started. Then the earth opens and Tell rolls down and is forced to play Vogel's game.

The ceiling is round and covered with dark blankets. We always thought they were trying to hide an altar on the left, but It was total different.

We never thought this room could have been turned into Vogel's room. Nobody (of the actors who were involved) seemed to remember it well. Until Dana Barron helped us out while she

looked at her album. The room of Vogel was circled and C. Petit found a photo of this room (not all are open) and found the similarities. He drew the lines above. They've done a great job

decorating the room and making fake gothic windows. The question arise me.. wasn't just easier to find an ancient chapel nearby, than making all the walls and changing all the windows?

I'm convinced not all tunnels are on this map! There is a blue dot on the right...there must be the notes..if they haven't plastered it over in the years. In 2005 they were still there.

If somebody will visit again and recognize them please send us new photos! But over the years they become more vague.

Here the trials start, it's at the double caponniere in Bruissin. This place is still the same but only reachable with a guide. It's the place that runs far into the

Below and above: the same place where Tell started, it's also the 'air' location. More about 'air' later.

When Tell met the element 'water' and almost gets drowned, he is saved by a man who spent years and years down there. It's Francois Arconciel, he once was a handsome young man who sang beautiful songs

accompanied with his lute. Francois realizes he lost grip on the number of years he has been there down under.... Loneliness and the hopelessness have changed him both mentally and physically.

I haven't seen fotos of this canal place... only in a chateau.... if somebody recognizes this, please tell us. It's probably in fort Bruissin as well. Not found yet!

Tell hears a voice like a ghost echoing in te distance saying: 'I'm the warm mistral wind that ripens the grapes.' Left a tripod

The place where Tell is taken from the water. There are two places almost identical. The one I've seen had also a view to the outside and the same window,

but the stones doesn't seem to match. I think this is nearby the caponierre. This photo is almost the same.

Water scene: Francois is catching something out of the wild water. At first sight he seems happy to catch a big fish, but when he noticed how big that fish is he seems kind of shocked and headed backward.

'What have we here?...A mermaid?...a fish...ahh a person!' While helping him on dry land, Francois realizes that the newcomer will also be waiting for the same fate and Francois starts panicking.

'Fiddle, feddle we have no peddle, we never get out of here! I should have have let you drowned, that would have been kinder to you!' Tell: 'well...a madmen.' Francois: 'Mad!? Mad!? Who's mad?'

Francois desperately: 'We never get out of here, while he is up there... aghh! Tell: "What are you doing out here are you playing the five trials...?" Francois he comes close to William and his face is disappointed.

He graps quickly his lute..'don't you recognize me? I'm Francois Arconiel! You must have heard about my songs?' He sings with full commitment: 'When my true love sings, the birds do cry.' Tell doesn't seem to

recognize it. Then Francois continues a bit disappointed: 'This is my most famous song!' Then he walks closer to William and carefully asks: 'How long have you been down here? Tell answers he has just arrived

and asked back: 'And you?' Francois: 'What day is it?' Tell: 'Saturday...' Francois is confused and answers: '4 days...or is it 4 years?' Tell: " I can't almost believe it, but Francois is a young man of..'

Francois tells William what happened: 'It seemed very simple, but like you, I had no choice but the price.... the price.. ahh,Vogel ..!'

While Francois is talking, Tell is desperately searching the walls for a secret way out but he is still listening to Francois. "Vogel showed me a magic fluit that played all my songs. Do you imagine what that means?'

Tell: 'There must be a secret way out of this place?!' Francois continues: 'I would become immortal, my songs will live forever!' Tell is still listening but not responding: 'solid rock' and walks on.

Then Francois goes on: 'I believed in what I was singing about knights and daring actions. Look at me now...what beautiful girl wants me to have?" Tell goes further and marks the wall with one scratch and said to

him with a smile: 'So we don't walk this way again!' Francois sees that and gets sad and shouts hopeless: 'oohh!' Tell speaks confidently: 'That's how we can beat him.' Francois wildly shakes his head and said:

'He has won already" and he pointed on the other side of the wall "These marks are mine." 4 music notes written on the wall. Now Tell realizes It's going to get tough, almost hopeless...

This music notes and countings of the circels Francois Arconciel walked, were still there in 2005! Photos

made by Stephane Barthemely. I haven't seen these notes myself around 2015. But the corridors are very dark.

1986 WOW This are nice discoveries, like traveling in time. A nice trace. Thanks to fan Stephane Barthelemy who went here long before I went. He took the photo around 2015

The fire scene: Tell is looking around suspiciously and remarks: 'What a strange space..to melt lead he needs an...' Francois: "Oven ahh!!" Huge flames coming out from everywhere. Above Vogels warms

his hands by this fire, Eleanor still has no notion of anything that happened downs below them and how Vogel influences the game while she is in the same room with him. Vogels invites Eleanor to

join him to warm herself on this cold afternoon. Eleanor annoyed: "no thanks the air is better here."

Behind them a wooden door closes loudly them...they felt a kind of pushed into another place and both be wary. Tell speaks loudly: 'Oke wiseman! 5 trials what did he mean by that? We already had one,

which was water, my mantle weigthed a ton!' Franchois carefully: 'Don't you know yet? He is an alchemist! The four elements of nature: earth, air, fire and water. These are his magical qualities!'

Oven scene: Tell touches the strange colored gold/black walls and think loudly: 'an alchemist so he tries to make gold from lead.' Francois remarks: 'It's quite warm for april...'

I think they uses fake oven walls... you can see the stone differences above, perhaps to protect the walls against fire. The wall seems reassembled and looks neat.

Scene: Vogel pulls the cord to activates the next element: 'wind.' Then a strong mistral wind blows through the corridors down below. Location: This is the other side of Vogel's room.

We noticed earlier that the wall could be fake, not because of the strange wall drawings, but the lines between the stones there sometimes seem to be small mistakes in it. After Dana's map we knew

we were right. I was most surprised by all the locations together about the great metamorphosis of this room.

Tell leads Francois through the fire. Coughing and exhausted they fell to the ground together. Francois is amazed: 'You haven't left me. Knight still excists! "What's next earth or air?" Tell enjoys the

breeze and says: probably 'earth' this little breeze is delicious,' Above Vogel pulls te cord. Eleanor has no idea what the consequences are down below. Tell is convinced he is near the exit: "It seems a way out,

come." Francois feels the wind rise: "It's the bellows of the oven!" Francois is screaming loadly and a huge storm arises in the corridors. The wind is lifting up William, at the last minute he could just

Tell calls: 'Give me something solid!' Then Francois has to say goodbye to his beloved lute in the hope it will shut off the air flow to the oven.

"My mantle almost closed the.....give me something solid. The only solid thing is the lute. Francois can't suppress strumming his lute for a little while, the last goodbye to the instrument he always

has carried and played. Tell: "It's no time for a song..." "it's always time for a song! Goodbye my lovely lute, this is a better purpose than my worthless thumping!" and handed it over to Tell.

Earth scene: Francois starts crying..he begins to lower his legs. Tell comes to sit next to him. Francois is emotional: 'Vogel has taken my youth...my songs...what do I've left?' After a silence: 'Well.. you got me...'

And after a few seconds his face brightens up. 'Come on,' Tell encourages him to come along. Francois is still sitting on the ground thinking deeply, while thinking, he goes with his hands through the

sandy earth. He suddenly stops, with a stone in his hands, he muses something: 'stones are going to fall and the earth is....' then he abruptly stands up and calls his friend: 'No William! Come back! It's a trap!

Let me lead the way, Stop!!' William is still walking further. Quickly he catches up with William. He takes his arm forces him to stop and not walking any step further. Then they hear things...

Francois realizes they are in real danger and something ominous is hanging above them. It can be faced only by getting any further and Francois is prepared to go first...Francois challengers Vogel and calls

out loudly: 'Vogel, I sing like a bird!' He starts walking in front of William, while singing his song, the earth suddenly opens up and he falls into a very deep gap. The echo of his voice is audible for a long

time to show how deep the gap is. Tell is completly shocked. He is walking uncomfortably back and forth with his hands in his hair. Then he realizes he needs to jump and takes the risk. He jumps over the gap

while singing the song of Francois. He makes it, but Tell's anger against Vogel reaches a climax.

In the one of the last scenes, Tell runs from a dark, low room to the stairs and the way out.

D (on Dana's map below) Same places. Crossbow shot (more zoomed out) so the camera point is higher

He stands in front of this low and dark room he comes from this room. This rooms were dark and deserted and lies deeper in the coridors. It was possible to go further but we didn't want to ;)

And besisdes there wasn't light at all this last piece. This lower rooms they are shaped like Vogel's room but than a level lower and without windows. It's the underground version ;) Anyway.

from this picture Tell turned around 180 grades gedrees walks to a short alley with the torch (very dark here)...then takes the right bend and takes the short stairs up (not the round staircase yet).

The one picture right below taken 2015. The alley is a bit narrower than most of the corridors overthere.

This room below (attached to the corridor where Tell starts running) you don't see in Crossbow. Tell starts the last scene standing in front of this room in the east side of the fort.

Up this stairs he runs through this corridor and go and the end where the light burns left into the round staircase. Looking to the east side of the corridor.

Same place but made with a blitzz. No lights around, only behing me where the spiral staircase is, there was one spooky flikkering light.

Then he goes left, takes a small staircause into the path of the spiral staircase. This corridor is strikingly much narrower than the others. Without a blitz you can't see a thing in here, we had to watch the pallets.

But it was cool. it reminded me of the war bunkers that we explored as a child in the dunes. it may not be a medieval building, but it is not necessary because everything seems different to this alchemist.

Exciting building with its own history. Good choice to use these corridors. Very exciting if you are with few. discovering it, we felt like a child again!

While taking the stairs, heading eastward to the spiral staircase (at the staircaise was a little light, the only light..crackling and flickering).

- stairs to basement (from where Tell starts) leading nowhere (60 years ago they probably did ;) )

It's why Tell leans forward, here is no space at all ;) He walks under the stairs you see on the photo above. Tell comes from basement level and goes to ground level (the cameraman is on).

Then he goes to the first floor (until the locked door, don't know if this one was locked at the time. Probably it was because they made no other shots here). He probably had to take the stairs at least three times ;)

So there are three levels and two stairs, but not all levels can be used. The lowest one is just too tiny to take, first floor is the only you can take. Above (second floor) is a closed door (probably the door to the

rooms like Vogel's room, but I'm not sure). It's locked and very dark. You can see the stairs I took a photo of. I won't say he is walking only two stairs steps of the shown 3 or 4...perhaps when the door is

open there is another one up. But I think It's only the low and the one above it and that filmed some times over so it make it look like many stairs and lvels he has to take up. Fantastic place!

1987 Tell is coming from the lowest stairs, walking two meters on groundlevel and climbing the last stairs 2015

I think William saw the same thing at the time, but we ended up at a closed door. ;)

Scene: Vogel is convinced Tell will not survive these four trials. Nobody ever did! Vogel has plans for Eleanor. In the meantime Eleanor, who has no idea where William and Francois are going through,

fits a nice silk dress. Vogel: "Do you like the dress? It was from my first wife...In time you will be Master Vogel's second wife," which makes her very angry.

Dana gets nervous of the sudden touch of Vogel. 'Only my husband may touch me!' 'I will be in time,' Vogel responded. Eleanor: 'I've seen William beaten 20 men!' Vogel: 'William Tell has never met

Vogel the Alchemist.' Eleanor is tired of him and doesn't want to hear him anymore and walks away. Then she catches him knocking against the hourglass. To Speed up the process. Confident in

his game: "The grains of sand are starting to run out." 'I don't think that's fair!'

This room used to be a mystery. These two photos below, you see 2 sides of Vogel's room they show you. The front with the window and the blank wall. The other two long sides are curtains.

It took a Long time we discussed is the window gothic or roman? Or perhaps neo ghotic? Is the round window a celtic triscal? It seems to be but was unfindable in the surroundings of Lyon. Dana Barron's

peronal photoalbum gave the solution thankfully! It's fake. The fort is ofcourse no medieval place and built after the middle ages, so the needed to make a replica window and room. So It's one of

the rooms of Fort Bruissin, the windows are changed in shape! Hardly unbelievable but true!

Final scene: 'It's over.' Vogel starts complaining: 'There are five trials, you have accomplished only four!'

Here you can see the entire pillar. It is a shot where a large part of the wall above the door is visible very shortly. here you can see that the drawn stones look messy.

Details: The pillar was not in line with the floor...but looked pretty authentic to us. We even thought this was part of a crypt. The Crossbow team is a master in disquise. And it always struck me: the modern

brick wall on the right picture (behind Tell and the door). The door where he comes out, there they have a lot more in this fort, but whether this is a replica or it is really there is the question, you never really

see the camera rotate, maybe the other side of the room is in a other part of the fort, that explains the door on that spot. The walls are fake in any case. First we thought it were big blocks, but i't seems

Vogel continues: "No. There are five elements and you have done only four! The fifth is ether of the universe No man can stop time" and he pointed at his hourglass.

Tell: "Don't talk to me about time!" He threw the bow rougly on the ground in front of Vogels feet and took Eleanor by the arm and left.

Detail small window: For the window (behind Eleanor), they probably used a light box in front of this fake window. This window is decorated well with stained glass look.

Unfortunately Eleanor never met Francois. William tells her about the special man he met.

Cultural activities like concerts, theater, art galleries (in and outside the building).

The corridor down to the caponierre, is down the forest. They can be visited by guide only.

- 1914-1918 premiere of the World War of Fort serves as training places of elevres aspiring to divine officers

This building goes hand in hand together with it's environment; the beautiful forest, nature and history.

During the renovation in 1988 (perhaps The Alchemist is recorded just before the renovation,1986) In between Nowadays 2018

The overgrown walls of the fort further in the forest. For me a kids dream to discover! A historical factor is also nice downhere in the middle of the forest.

No 'Orchard road' but 'arched road' ;) I like this lane of arches. A tunnel in front of the forest, easy to visit

The entrance of the east side of the tunnels (here you can find the staircase and it's corridor and the marks)

The Fort de Bruissin is located about 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) to the southeast of the center of Lyon. Lyon's original protective ring of forts was built in the 1830s at a distance from the city just beyond the range of the

rtillery of the era, thus denying a potential attacker the means to bombard Lyon. With the introduction of rifled artillery, the range increased, placing the city once again into jeopardy. In the 1870s a second ring of forts

was built father out to deal with the extended range of artillery. Work on the second ring of eighteen forts was complete by 1893. The Fort du Bruissin was number 13 in the Army's numerical designation

The Fort de Bruissin is a six-sided polygon, with masonry walls surrounded by a defended ditch. The most striking feature of the fort is its entry court, reached through a gatehouse at the head of a bridge over the ditch.

A two-level vaulted barracks faces the gatehouse across the court, covered with earth. A terrace or cavalier on top of the barracks was shielded by an earth rampart. The fort was primarily armed with a mixture

of 155mm and 120mm guns. located on the cavalier within the walls of the fort. Close-in defense was provided by revolving cannons in large caponiers at the corners of the fort, reached by subterranean passages.

The fort was initially manned by 294 men, serving a total of thirty artillery pieces.

Arts center

The fort now functions as a center for visual and performing arts. The 10-hectare (25-acre) grounds are a community park and nature preserve. Approximately 3000 square meters of space is available within

the fort, with about 800 square meters of exhibition space. A venue for the performing arts is located behind the barracks, to accommodate up to 2000 spectators.

You can click here beautiful photos of the place you only can reach by guide! Most of the places were in Crossbow! The other side with the staircase and the marks

More about it's history

The Fort du Bruissin is part of the second ring of the fortifications of Lyon. During World War I the fort was a training center for future officers. During World War II , the fort was occupied by the Germans,

who used it as an ammunition depot and headquarters.

Fort Bruissin is a fort in Francheville, France, near the city of Lyon. Built between 1878 and 1881, the fort is part of the Séré de Rivières system of fortifications built in the late 19th century.

range of the artillery of the era, thus denying a potential attacker the means to bombard Lyon. With the introduction of rifled artillery, the range increased, placing the city once again into jeopardy. In the 1870s

a second ring of forts was built father out to deal with the extended range of artillery. Work on the second ring of eighteen forts was complete by 1893. The Fort du Bruissin was number 13 in the Army's

numerical designation of the forts of Lyon.

The Fort de Bruissin is a six-sided polygon, with masonry walls surrounded by a defended ditch. The most striking feature of the fort is its entry court, reached through a gatehouse at the head of a

bridge over the ditch. A two-level vaulted barracks faces the gatehouse across the court, covered with earth. A terrace or cavalier on top of the barracks was shielded by an earth rampart. The fort was

primarily armed with a mixture of 155mm and 120mm guns. located on the cavalier within the walls of the fort. Close-in defense was provided by revolving cannons in large caponiers at the

corners of the fort, reached by subterranean passages. The fort was initially manned by 294 men, serving a total of thirty artillery pieces.

The Fort du Bruissin is part of the second ring of the fortifications of Lyon. During World War I the fort was a training center for future officers. During World War II , the fort was occupied by

the Germans, who used it as an ammunition depot and headquarters. In 1981 the fort was sold to the commune of Francheville. In 1988 the entry was renovated, followed by the barracks in 1989.

In 1991 the fort became a community of contemporary artists. It has been the home of the Fort en Jazz festival since 1990.