Matthew Farfan

For thousands of years, people have been fascinated by labyrinths, or mazes. In ancient Egypt, King Amenemhet III built himself a funeral temple in the shape of a labyrinth near Lake Moeris. Students of Greek mythology will recall the intricate labyrinth on Crete, built by Daedalus to house the Minotaur, a dangerous monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man.

In the Middle Ages, labyrinths, like the one at Chartres, France (right), were sometimes depicted on the floors of European cathedrals. By following these mazes, the faithful could conduct symbolic pilgrimages to Jerusalem; and like real pilgrimages, there were turns and obstacles along the way.

To this day, people are still drawn to mazes, and Townshippers are no exception. Each summer, a giant maze is created in a cornfield in Coaticook. Sponsored by the Centre d'initiatives en agriculture de la région de Coaticook, the local agricultural training school, it is built on the Ferme du Plateau and comprises an area of about six acres.

Designed as an educational tool for various agricultural themes, the Lait-byrinthe, as the maze is called (lait being French for milk) is now in its fourth year. The first maze in Quebec to be carved out of a cornfield, the Lait-byrinthe opens each summer in mid-July and operates until September 28. A fun outing for the entire family, visits to the Lait-byrinthe include animation (in French), an observation tower, and an information "treasure hunt" inside the maze. Last year's design featured a butterfly; this year's features a giant cow (right).

The Ferme du Plateau is located at 125 Morgan, Coaticook. For information, call: (819) 849-9588 (ext. 247), or email them at: ciarc@cshauts-cantons.qc.ca.

(Photos: Courtesy of the Lait-byrinthe)