Up at 6am this morning…motel Germinal was lovely…huge bed, wifi, double glazed windows and set in/on a creek. The staff told us that there was a market in the nearby street, so we packed up, had breakfast and went out, expecting to see a little market like we saw in Bayeux the morning before. Instead this was streets and streets of flea market! It was spread over many streets and a couple of squares as well. It was mainly clothes, toys and household goods. Tom said “we’ll it’s good to know that there is one thing that doesn’t change over the world….everyone seems to collect lots of crap! ”
We all piled onto the bus at 8:45, heading for Angers (pronounced like Angie..the r is silent). When we arrived, we found another large market was in progress there as well…antiques & collectables as well as some art. Luckily we were able to contain our collecting tendency!
Here there is a large fort from 13th century, built on the site of a previous lookout post. The fort contains a chapel & a chateau. It has 17 towers built from slate and limestone…30 metres high. The towers are unusual as they are flat, the previous shape having been changed to allow easier canon operations. There is a drawbridge to get into the fort.
The fort
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The fort also contains the Apocalypse Tapestry, which is a tapestry unlike the Bayeux tapestry which is embroidery. It is 100 metres long and 4.5 metres high. It was commissioned in 1375 by Louis1, Duke of Anjou and brother King Charles V in 1375 and completed around 1382. There has been some deteriation over time and the loss of some panels, but most has survived intact. The work tells the story of the Book of Revelations, using their current political and social figures to depict some of the characters. At the time France and England were engaged in the Hundred Year War.
We bought some baguettes from a bakery in Angers and stopped for a picnic beside the Loire River and then continued on for a quick photo opportunity of a Chateau at Saumur. The castle stands high above the surrounding landscape. There is also a lovely bridge over the Loire a river in this town. It appears to have been repaired after the war, instead of needing replacement after all bridges were disabled at the end of WW2 after D-Day invasion to prevent enemy incursion into allied occupied areas.
We then drove on to Fontevraud Abbey which depicts life in a monestry. The community originally living here was founded in 1101. The site was a royal tomb, being used for Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, Eleanor of Aquitaine among those of note. There are effigies of these people in one of the buildings there. With the French Revolution the Monks at e abbey were dispersed and contents sold, and in 1804 the building was used for a prison until 19663.
After this visit we headed directly to our hotel for the next 2 nights, Hotel Dinerot, a delightful place with lots of character. Our room has low ceilings with huge beams in he ceiling.
A special dinner has been arranged for tonight..we had fish entree, duck with a rich jus dressing, celeriac & pear as mains and a delicious choc mousse with a violet & lavender glacé…a special meal that was delightful!
Bridge over the river Vienne at Chinon where we are staying for the next 2 nights.
6weeksinfrance 