A week spent exploring the Loire Valley in September 2012

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - CHÂTEAU DE CHENONCEAU

Chenonceau is a beautiful fairytale château built across the River Cher. Apart from a glimpse of the old keep as you cross the bridge over the river into the village, the château cannot be seen from outside.

Knowing it gets very busy we planned to be there for opening time. We didn’t stop to hire an audio guide, so were first through the gateway, where we were given an excellent free guide book. We hot footed it down the long tree lined drive to château. We saved pictures of the outside for later to be first in the château where we had the first two rooms and long gallery to ourselves. It wasn’t as busy as we feared. Most people move through quickly so we managed to get photos minus people without too many problems, as long as we were patient.

The château is built on the site of an earlier building. This was demolished, except for the keep, in the early C16th by Thomas Bohier, Treasury Superintendent under Francois I who began the present building on the site of the old mill. The remains of this can still be seen under the kitchens. His coat of arms and initials can be found all over the château. The old keep, the Marquis tower, is the first building you see as you approach the château, surrounded by a moat.

Chenonceau is often referred to as the ‘Ladies château’. Henri II gave it to his Mistress Diane de Poitier in 1547 when he came to the throne. She built the bridge over the river and created the gardens. On Henri’s death, his widow, Catherine de Medici evicted Diane and banished her to Chaumont. Catherine built the long gallery over the bridge, designed the park and her garden. She also had plans for another building at the far side of the gallery. 




Catherine left Chenonceau to her daughter in law, Louise de Lorraine, wife of Henri III. After his assassination, Louise retired to the château in deep mourning. On her death the château passed to her niece, Françoise de Lorraine who was married to César de Vendôme, illegitimate son of Henri IV by Gabrielle d’Estrée.

By 1733, the château was the property of Dupin, the farm manager and local tax collector. It survived the Revolution as Louise Dupin was well respected by the local population and also because of its strategic position at a crossing of the river Cher. The chapel was used as a wood store, so camouflaging its religious character.

The château was sold and restored by Marguerite Pelouze after the Revolution and was later bought by the Menier family and they still own it. During WW1 it was used as a hospital. The gallery played an important part in WWII. The border between Occupied and Free France was the river Cher. The main entrance of the castle was under German control, the door at the end of the gallery led into Free France and was used by the Resistance.

It is a splendid building of white tufa with dark late roof with turrets and pinnacles above the dormer windows. The main building has a symmetrical layout with two rooms on either side of the central hallway with the staircase. This was one of the first straight staircases to be built in France. It has a vaulted ceiling with large hanging bosses.

The tour starts with the GUARDS ROOM, on the left of the main door. The coat of arms of Thomas Bohier are carved above the fireplace. The floor is covered with beautiful C16th majolica tiles in shades of blue, beige and yellows.

There are intricately carved chests around the walls and C16th tapestries of domestic life in the château. The ceiling beams are blue and pink panels with intertwined Cs and are surrounded by gilt borders.

The CHAPEL is off the Guard’s Room. There is an elaborate carved portico round the doorway with a statue of the Virgin. Inside there is a beautiful bas relief of the Virgin and Child. The stained glass windows are modern replacing those destroyed by bombing during WW2.

Next to the Guards Room is DIANE DE POITIERE’S BEDROOM. Everywhere is engraved with the initials of Henri II and Catherine de Medici, which make them look like Ds…

The bed stands on a dais which is a symbol of its importance but also serves a more mundane purpose of protecting it from damp. The bed is covered in blue brocade with beige tassels and there are C16th tapestries on the walls.

The fireplace has a large carved stone over mantle. In the centre is a portrait of Catherine de Medici who looks like a woman not to be argued with.

Off this are two small rooms, The Green Study and the Library. These were used by Catherine as her study from where she ran the estate. The GREEN STUDY has a most unusual ceiling which covered with layers of pewter which have been painted green and have more C's.

The LIBRARY has a carved wood ceiling with panels and small hanging bosses. The walls in each are covered with paintings and there are some nice carved wood cabinets. There are good views across Diane de Poitiers garden and the river from the windows.

The LONG GALLERY has a tufa and slate floor and wooden beamed ceiling. There are tall, recessed round topped windows on both sides. The medallions of famous people on the walls were added in the C18th. In spite of comments in the guide books, there is no exit from the door at the far end of the long gallery.

At the corner of the Long Gallery, is the staircase down to the KITCHENS. These are located in the two massive piers built into the bed of the River Cher. On the ‘bridge’ between the two piers is the platform used by boats bringing produce to the kitchens. The butchery has a massive chopping block with knives above and copper pans on the walls. Game would have been hung on the hooks in the ceiling.

Next to it is a larder. The kitchen has a long dresser along one wall with cupboards and shelves with earthenware jugs and storage jars. In the centre is a massive cast iron range. There is a smaller fireplace with a turnspit for cooking meat and log store under the stairs.

Next to this is a large bread oven in the wall.

The servants quarters and dining room have a huge open fireplace across the end wall with metal cauldrons. There is a long table with chairs and smaller dressers on the walls.

continue>>

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - CHÂTEAU DE CHENONCEAU

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Back on the ground floor, the next room is FRANCOIS I’s DRAWING ROOM. This was reserved for the use of the king and is furnished with C15th Italian furniture inlaid with ivory and mother of pearl. There is a painting of Diane the Huntress which is one of the few portraits of Diane de Poitiers.

Opposite the Guards’ Room is LOUIS XIV’s DRAWING ROOM, named in memory of the visit he made here on 14th July 1650. This is an elegant room with gilt furniture and paintings. There is a splendid fireplace with stone over mantle with a carved gilt salamander (crest of François I) and ermine (Anne of Brittany).

The decorative cornice round the ceiling has the initials of Thomas Bohier and his wife Katherine.

CATHERINE BRICONNET’s HALL on the first floor is tiled with small clay tiles stamped with a fleur de lis and pierced by a dagger. The walls are covered with tapestries. Above the doors are marble medallions with the faces of Roman emperors which were brought back from Italy by Catherine de Medici. Doors at the far end open out onto a small balcony above the main doorway.

Above the Guards’ Room is the FIVE QUEEN’s BEDROOM, named in memory of Catherine de' Medici's two daughters (Queen Margot wife of Henry IV and Elisabeth of Valois wife of Philip II of Spain) and three daughters-in-law (Mary, Queen of Scots wife of Francis II, Elisabeth of Austria wife of Charles IX, and Louise of Lorraine wife of Henry III). The wooden ceiling has their coat of arms. The walls are covered with C16th Flemish tapestries. The four poster bed has deep plum hangings decorated by gold.

This leads into CATHERINE DE MEDICI’s BEDROOM with a painted and gilded ceiling, with the monograms of Henry, Catherine as well as the combined C and H.

The four poster bed on a raised dais has a beautifully carved base and head board. The C16th tapestries show scenes from the life of Sampson.

Beyond are two small rooms with drawings and engravings of Chenonceau.

Across the hall is CÉSAR DE VENDÔME’s BEDROOM. He was the son of Henri IV and Gabrielle d’Estrées who became the owner of Chenonceau in 1624. This is a sumptuously furnished room with deep red walls, red upholstered chairs and red and gold bed hangings. The fireplace was coated with gold and painted in the C19th with the coat of arms of Thomas Bohier. The window is surrounded by a large wooden frame with carved caryatids.

Next is GABRIELLE D’ESTRÉE’s BEDROOM. She was the mistress of Henri IV. The four poster bed has red brocade hangings and the chairs are covered in similar material. The walls are covered with tapestries. There is a decorative red and gold cornice round the base of the ceiling.

The second floor hall is very stylish with deep pink walls and white ribs leading up to ceiling arches. These have blue motifs as does the ceiling. Along the walls are some carved wooden cabinets. One has a series of beautiful paintings round the top.

The only room open on this floor is LOUISE DE LORRAINE’s BEDROOM. Following the assassination of her husband Henri III, Louise retired to Chenonceau in a state of permanent mourning. The room has been reconstructed around the original ceiling and the black walls are decorated with mourning objects - silver tears, widows' cordons, crowns of thorns and the Greek letter L (lambda), Louise's initial, intertwined with the H of Henry. His portrait is in a turret in the corner of the room.

The château is surrounded by beautifully maintained grounds with grass and specimen tree. The entrance to Diane de Poitier’s garden is by the Steward’s house and is protected from flooding by elevated terraces. It has eight triangular lawns separated by paths and has its original fountain in the centre. These were originally planted with fruit trees, rustic shrubs, hawthorns and hazel trees, whilst the borders of the paths were sown with strawberry plants and violets. When we visited, they had been planted out with a mixture of yellow and white bedding plants.

Catherine Medici’s Garden is smaller and more intimate. It is designed around central pool with lawns lined with narrow flower beds. These had been planted out with pink begonias and purple coleus around pink standard roses and looked stunning.

The stable block houses a self service restaurant and a wax museum featuring the women who created Chenonceau, dressed in meticulously created clothes, in a series of historical scenes.

The C16th farm buildings have been restored. The farmhouse is now used to store and prepare cut flowers for the château as there are huge flower displays in all the rooms. Beyond is the kitchen gardens with a mix of vegetables and flowers. Beds are surrounded by grass paths and french marigolds are grown among the vegetables to keep down insect pests.

This is a truly magnificent château and really repays a visit.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - CHÂTEAU DE CHEVERNY

Cheverny is a pleasant village of well kept stone houses. There is a huge car park off main road with a short walk to château which has a monumental arch onto the main street. The shop and ticket office in are in the building next to the stable block (arranged round a courtyard and private.) Entry includes a detailed leaflet in English with plenty of colour pictures. There is an extra charge for a guided tour of the house with a canal boat trip and also for the Secrets Marlinspike Hall (the exhibition about Tintin as Cheverny was the inspiration for Marlinspike Hall).

It is a short walk through the park with grass and specimen trees to château. This is a very elegant building with lawns and an ornamental design in chippings at the front. Cheverney was one of the last châteaux to be built in the Loire Valley. Although it has changed hands several times, it is still lived in by descendants of the original owners.

Built between 1604-34, it exhibits a rare unity of style in both architecture and decoration as it has never been extended or altered. There are no defensive elements such as large turreted towers or formidable entrances. It survived the Revolution undamaged and is one of few châteaux with its original decoration intact.

It is built from the local white tufa limestone with a dark slate roof. On the front are a series of oval niches with busts of Roman Emperors. The family coat of arms is above the main doorway surrounded by two concentric collars; one symbolising order of the Holy Ghost and the other the Order of St Michael. The back is very different to the front and is much plainer.

Steps lead up to the front entrance with the main staircase ahead and corridors on either side with rooms that occupy the full width of the building.

To the right, the corridor with painted walls and ceiling leads to the dining room. Panels depict scenes from Don Quixote. This theme continues into the DINING ROOM which is a stunning room with a beautifully painted wooden beamed ceiling.

Round the base of the walls are painted panels with more scenes from Don Quixote. Even the doors and shutters are painted.

There is an elaborate marble fireplace with a carved bust of Henri IV. In the centre is a large oak table. The massive carved oak sideboards on the walls and a large carved dresser with cornucopia on the sides, were made to fit the room.

The tour takes you back to the main staircase and up to the first floor. This has sturdy stone banisters with carvings of fruit and cherub heads. On the half landing is a suit of armour with the antlers and skull of an ancestor of the elk brought back from the Siberian ice field 200 years ago. There are nice views across the gardens at the back of the château.

The first floor corridor off to the right at the top of the stairs leads to the private family apartments which were in use until 1985. The first room is the BIRTH CHAMBER furnished in early C20th style with cream brocade with a Chinese pattern of flowers, with crib and bed.

Next is the BOUDOIR with settee, desk and cream flock wallpaper. Beyond this is the NURSERY with a big bed with gilt carving and a selection of toys including crib, rocking horses, dolls clothes, toy sewing machine and storage chests. The wall coverings, curtains, bed clothes and hangings are pale cream tapestry with hanging garlands.

The BRIDAL CHAMBER is an elegant room with pale blue panelling picked out with darker blue. The bed set in an alcove has red and white brocade covering and this is also used to upholster the chairs. There is an ornate walnut chest. In a small room off the main room is a copper bath tub.

The small FAMILY DINING ROOM has green panelling picked out with dark cream and white. The round table has a cloth with embroidered hounds and china to match. In the centre is a crystal stags head with antlers and cut crystal glasses. Along the walls are marble top sideboards and a glass fronted display cabinet. Plates are hung on the walls and there is an ormolu clock. There is a display of copper kitchenware in small room off.

The PETIT SALON has grey walls picked out with white. Chairs have pink upholstery with a flower pattern. There is a large mirror over the fireplace, small desk, occasional tables, chests of drawers with metal handles and decoration.

Across the staircase from the private apartments is the ARMS ROOM. This is a huge room with the original decoration which has never been restored. There is a beautiful painted wooden ceiling, shutters and panels on the walls. The walls above the panelling are painted cream and hung with armour, weapons, guns, crossbows, spurs... There are coats of armour round the walls, sedan chair and occasional chairs with green upholstery. There is a huge over mantle above the marble fireplace with a painting of the death of Adonis. This is surrounded by carved gilded garlands, cherubs and standing figures.

The KING’S BEDROOM is at far end of the wing. It is a lavishly decorated room with a pained ceiling with the story of Perseus and Andromeda. Round the base of the walls are painted panels with the story of the thwarted love of Theagenes and Chariclea, which was popular in Renaissance times. On the walls are C17th tapestries depicting the travels of Ulysses.

The canopied four posted bed is dwarfed by the size of the room. The bed hangings are gold tapestry with a depiction of the Sun King on bed head. The chairs are upholstered with Aubusson tapestries with a fruit design. The huge fireplace has gold and black tiles. Above is a big over mantle with a picture in a gilt frame. Above are gilt cherubs holding a gilt crown with decorative blue bobbles.

Originally there were rows of small candles above the fireplace and doors. These now hold electric lights.

Back on ground floor, the tour finishes off in the wing opposite the dining room. The GRAND SALON is a splendid room with grey panelled walls and decorations picked out in brown and white. The painted ceiling is a similar design. On the walls are family portraits. The marble fireplace has a painted over mantle with a picture of Marie Johanne de la Carre Saumery, Comtesse de Cheverny and full length gilt figures holding up an laurel wreath on either side. On the opposite wall is a large mirror, which makes the room seem even larger.

This leads into the GALLERY which has red damask walls with an off white ceiling and panelling below picked out in cream and pink.

The PORTRAIT ROOM continues the theme from the gallery with more family pictures on off white panelling but this time picked out in cream, blue and pink. The walls are covered with tapestry with a swirling pattern of leaves and pink flowers. There is a big desk with brown upholstered chairs, sideboard and clock.

The LIBRARY has pale and dark green panelling holding books. There is a small piano and a violin on the settee.

The TAPESTRY ROOM has five C17th Flemish tapestries on the walls. A small corridor with flower paintings on the walls leads back to the grand salon.

A door behind the staircase leads into the GARDENS. These are formally laid out with hedges and flower gardens. There is a small pond with fountain on the walk down to orangery which is now a small cafe selling ice creams and a selection of light snacks.

Cheverny is still an important centre for hunting with dogs and has 100 hunting dogs. They are a cross between the English foxhound and French Poitevin. In winter they hunt twice a week and cull about 30 animals a year. They are housed in a separate kennel block well away from the house with an exercise yard surrounded by railings. In summer they are fed at 5pm. By 4pm they were starting to get hungry and beginning to bay.

The vegetable garden is behind the kennel block garden behind. Near here is the trophy room with antlers on the wall, although not as many as we expected.

ÉGLISE ST ETIENNE DE CHEVERNEY is across the road from the château and is well worth a visit. The nave is C12th, the rest later. There is a large porch running along west and south ends of church with wooden pillars supporting the tiled roof. This is a Coquetoire or cacklehouse with seats where the parishioners gathered for public meetings.

The nave has a wooden gallery over the west end supported on metal pillars. The ribs of the vaulted stone ceiling have carvings at the bottom.

There is wood panelling around the base of the chancel walls. The dark grey and red marble high altar has a white cross on the base. Above is a painting of the Holy Ghost descending on the disciples at Pentecost.

The attractive south aisle altar is white painted wood with gold trim. Above is an elaborate retable with a statue of the Virgin and Child in an alcove with a gilt cherub head above and topped with 2 marble cherubim.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - CHÉMERY

Chémery, on the D956 north east of St Aignan, is a neat little town with a church, square with a war memorial, a few shops, large notary building and a château.

The château is C13th with C15th and C16th additions and is a good example of the transition from a moated medieval fortress to the domesticity and luxury of the Renaissance. The building had been left to moulder for 300 years but has been restored by the new owners and is now a wedding venue and offers accommodation.

It is an attractive building at the edge of the village and surrounded by open countryside with a large dove cot nearby. It is surrounded by a moat with a lot of duckweed. The only access is by drawbridge leading to the main gateway. This leads to the main range of buildings of both stone and timber frame, with turrets at the corners. The courtyard is surrounded by a curtain wall and there is a second and very rickety bridge which leads to a small doorway through this.

ÉGLISE ST-GUILLAUM in Cheméry was rebuilt in the C19th and has a a large red inscription Republique Francais and Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité over the doorway on the tower.

The church is fairly simple inside with nave, side aisle and apse. There are splendid painted statues of Joan of Arc and St Michael killing the devil.

The Lady Chapel altar in the north aisle has the statue of Our Lady.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - FOUGÈRES-SUR-BIÈVRE

Fougiere-sur-Biéve is a well maintained village with wide tree lined streets with stone houses and an attractive C15th Marie.

The château is one of the earlier châteaux built in 1450 and is a typical defensive structure designed to impress. It is an austere grey stone building with a small internal courtyard. There is a large square tower at one corner and a round one at another. The slit windows were replaced by larger windows in the C16th.

Next to the Marie is ÉGLISE ST-ELO. This is an long, low stone building with offset square tower and a small apse at the east end. The choir is C12th. The rest is C15/16th, except for a C19th north wall.

Inside it is a simple building with pale plastered walls. Stone pillars with round stone arches separate the nave from the side aisles.

The Romanesque apse has a free standing stone altar.

Behind is wooden crucifix with a very old carving of Christ which has lost his arms.

Along the walls are old wooden choir stalls with carved arms and misericords.

The south aisle has a stone altar flanked by statues of St Vincent and St Eloi. The north aisle altar has a beautiful wooden host box with elaborate gilt decorations.

To one side is a small icon of the Virgin and Child. On the wall above the altar is an unframed modern abstract picture which unfortunately is beginning to curl at the edges.

This is again another attractive small French town which is not on the tourist route and gets few visitors.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - MONTRICHARD

Montrichard is a picturesque town with half timber frame houses on the banks of the River Cher.

This had originally been a medieval walled town built round the donjon and château. Église St Croix was originally the castle chapel but is now the parish church.

The donjon was built by Foulques Nerra in the C11th and was rebuilt in the C12th. It was the scene of fierce fighting between the French and the English. The walls and château were reinforced during this time. Little remains of the walls, although a tower can be seen on rue Porte au Roi. The royal apartments collapsed in the C18th, and only a few walls remain. The donjon now houses the local museum and is reached by a steep flight of steps off Route Nacionale.

Much of the medieval street pattern remains with narrow streets and even narrower pavements. Restaurants spill out onto the roadway.

The Office de Tourisme is in nice C15th timber frame building with a diamond pattern infilled with brick. This was La Maison de l’Ave Maria which sheltered monks from Aiguevive Abbey and there is the remains of a wooden carving of the Annunciation on the corner of the building.

Opposite are some late C15th timber frame houses, Les Maisons á Pans de Bois, which were protected by the church steeple when the royal apartments collapsed in the C18th.

Steps lead up to ÉGLISE ST-CROIX, which was the chapel for the castle. Foulques Nerrra brought back a relic of the ‘authentic cross’ from Jerusalem and presented it to the castle chapel when it was founded in the C11th. The chapel was damaged when royal apartments collapsed, but was repaired and became the parish church.

There is a splendid double arch west porch with twisted rope pillars with capitals carved in feather shapes. A wooden door leads into the church. It was a pity about the graffiti, one of the few places in France we had seen it.

The organ above west door has wooden balconies on either side, accessed by a wooden spiral staircase, with a sign saying no admittance except for the choir. The nave is simple with a wooden slatted ceiling with support beams across. Pillars with round topped arches separate nave and side aisles. The side aisles have vaulted stone ceilings. The apse at the east end is lined with old choir stalls. It just has a small mass altar with a crucifix on the far wall.

The north aisle has no windows. There are three apses off the wall. The back one is chapel dedicated to the Virgin with wrought iron railings across the front. Above the altar is a stone carved statue of the Virgin. The middle apse contains the font and the one nearest the chancel has a stone carved altar.

At the end of the north aisle is a green painted wooden altar with a large retable with a central statue and painted panels framed in gilt. On the altar are two reliquary boxes containing bones. On either side are wooden doors leading into the sacristy.

The south aisle has a splendid altar and retable of wood with a statue of the Virgin. The walls are painted in a light and dark green with a brown and green border. Pillars are painted red, yellow and blue. The ceiling is blue with gold stars. There is a marble plaque on wall saying that St Jeanne de Valois married Duc d’Orleans (Louis XII) here in 1476. The marriage was later annulled when Charles VIII died and Louis wanted to marry his widow, Anne of Brittany in the hope of annexing Brittany to the French throne.

Hotel d’Effiat on rue Porte au Roi is a splendid late C15th building of white tufa stone with dark tile roof and corner turrets. It was bequeathed to the town in 1717 to house and care for the poor. It later became local hospital until 1977.

Next to it is CHAPELLE DE NOTRE DAME DE MONT CARMEL. This is an unexciting box like building from the outside with a plain facade onto the road.

Doors lead into a small porch and then into the church. Inside is a simple nave with plain white walls and painted statues of the Virgin, Joseph and the young Jesus as well as St Francis and St Theresa.

At the east end is a small chancel apse with a stone altar with an inlaid design of gold lilies. Above, on a low stepped retable, is a painted statue of the Virgin holding the Christ Child. The ceiling is painted blue with a gold sunburst and stars. The rest of the east wall is painted with blue and grey decorative panels with coats of arms and birds feeding. The pillars and circular arches are picked out in gold. Above is a large picture showing God crowning the Virgin Mary watched by bishops and saints.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - TASICA GALLO-ROMAN SITE

Tasica Gallo-Roman site is signed off the D176 between Montrichard and St Aignan and there is parking off the rough track which runs beside the site. This was closed for the season when we visited in September, but you can see virtually everything from outside the fence without paying the entry charge and there is a small information board.

There are the remains of three buildings. One just has the foundations. The second has part of a wall left standing. The third building at the back of the site has a long tall stretch of wall standing with rooms off to the back.

There are decorative bands of red tiles in the stonework and the window arches are picked out with red tiles.

The site dates from about 138AD and was a multipurpose site with administrative, commercial and judicial buildings. It had no military purpose.

The small museum with artefacts from the site is in Thésée.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE NORTH EAST OF PERRUSSON - ST-AIGNAN

St-Aignan was originally a river port on the banks of the River Cher with the old town nestling below the large Romanesque church and château. The modern town stretches on high ground behind. Parking in the town is limited but there is a large car park on the island in the middle of the river. From here here are good views of the twin towered Collegiate church and the château.

The CHÂTEAU is privately owned and not open, although you can wander round the outside and along the terrace for good views of the town. It is reached by 144 steps (we didn’t count them) leading up from the west porch of the church.

There are the remains of the C11th octagonal fortress tower complete with machicolations at the top. The entrance doorway at the base with elaborately carved arch is a later addition.

The C16th Logis has tall dormer windows with highly carved tops. The stairway tower with small cupola at the top is a C19th addition.

The old part of the town has narrow cobbled streets with old stone and half timber frame houses.

COLLEGIALE DE ST-AIGNAN was built in the C11th over the remains of an earlier church which now forms the crypt. This has some remarkably well preserved frescoes dating from the C12th.

We used the south door which is very decorative with splendid carvings on round arches above the door. Twisted pillars support round arches with carved capitals.

There is a massive west porch beneath the tower which has round arches and, unfortunately, lots of graffiti (one of the few places we saw this). There are huge buttresses on the tower and also along the sides of the nave.

Music was playing in the church, adding to the atmosphere. The nave is very long and tall, with white and red drapes hanging down from the transept tower. Round pillars support round arches between the nave and side aisles. Above are round topped windows. Longer wall pillars support the ribs of the vaulted ceiling.

All have beautifully carved capitals with Biblical scenes, mythical animals or abstract designs.

The walls are bare apart from small carved stations of the cross and a memorial to the dead of World War One.

Next to south door is the CHAPELLE DE MIRACLES with C12th frescoes, now much blackened with time. This is absolutely delightful and so beautiful. The vaulted roof is covered with frescoes. There are the four evangelists. St Michael is slaying the dragon, the Angel of Justice is weighing souls and there is the Annunciation with Archangel Gabriel. The white and gold altar has a marble statue of the Virgin Mary with a gold shawl. On either side are two old and dark brown wooden statues. The wall behind the altar is painted with angels on either side of a round window with blue and red stained glass. There is an icon of Marie les Enfants on the wall as well as ‘Merci’ plates and lighted candles.

The rounded chancel apse has an ambulatory round it which has very elaborately carved capitals with Biblical scenes. There is the slaughter of the innocents and the flight into Egypt with Joseph leading a donkey carrying Mary and Jesus.

At the base are decorative wrought iron screens separating the chancel from the ambulatory. The three apses off the ambulatory are separated by round pillars and more carved capitals. There are altars with statues in each.

The high altar is very ornate and inlaid with gilt and black mosaics. on top is a beautiful host box with a crucifix above. To one side is a painted statue of the crowned Virgin holding the Christ Child.

Steps by north wall lead down into the CRYPT. This is huge and stretches from the transept to the end of the chancel. A few long thin windows let in light although it is now lit with electric light. It is made up of an antechamber, main chamber and ambulatory. The pillars supporting the round arches have carved capitals but being much older are less elaborate than those in the church.

The walls are covered in frescoes of varying degrees of preservation. Colours are mainly oranges, reds and yellows with traces of blue in places. On the west wall is the Crucifixion.

On the east wall is Christ in Majesty. On the north wall are the Annunciation and Birth of Christ.

On the south wall is Mary collecting the body for burial.

There are three apses off the ambulatory. The south apse has a fresco of the Lamb of God on the roof with a border of saints underneath.

The central apse fresco is in poor condition and there are the vague outlines of figures. The north apse has frescoes and a few bits of masonry on the floor.

This really is a remarkable church.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE EAST OF PERRUSSON - CHÂTEAUNEUF-SUR-CHER

Châteauneauf-sur-Cher is a big settlement about 70 miles east of Perrusson and is dominated by a massive church at the top of the town. This looked an impressive building with flying buttresses, pinnacles, spires, carving, statues and gargoyles, so we decided to stop and investigate.

BASILIQUE NOTRE-DAME DES ENFANTS was built between 1870-1880 in grand Gothic style to replace the ruined C16th church. Father Ducros, the newly appointed Dean of Châteauneuf, wrote to all the parishes asking the children for donations towards the building. The story goes that one little girl wrote asking that the new church be named Notre-Dame-des-Enfants and it is the only church in France to be called this.

It is built from the local tufa stone.

The inside of the church is huge and on a dull and dark day felt very dark inside. Visit on a bright sunny day to see it at its best. It was a pity about the coloured streamers draped from the ceiling across to the walls which obscured the nave.

There are tall elegant fluted pillars with pointed arches and a small carved frieze at the top of the pillars.

Above is arcading with round pillars, round arches and windows above.

At the back of the south aisle is a stone font. Three pillars support a very ornate carved spire with pinnacles above the font. The stained glass window shows John the Baptist baptising Christ.

Under the windows in the aisles are massive carved Stations of the Cross in elaborate frames, each explaining what they are. This is Veronica handing her handkerchief to Christ for him to wipe his face. The rest of the walls are covered with small ‘Merci’ plates.

The huge carved wood pulpit has two flights of stairs up to it. On the front is a carved panel of Jesus preaching surrounded by panels of the four evangelists. Above is a massive carved spire with angels, flying buttresses and pinnacles.

The highly carved stone high altar has a scene of the Last Supper on the base. There are steps at the back, presumably to reach the candlesticks.

The ambulatory is separated from the choir by pillars and pointed arches. It has three apses each with an altar. The central apse has a very ornate altar with carved figures on the base of adults bringing children to the Virgin. The retable has angels, spires and Biblical scenes including the raising of Jarus’s daughter from the dead. Above the retable is a huge statue of the Virgin standing on a rock with young children lit up by light bulbs.

The north chancel altar is carved stone with carvings of angels on the base and carved leaves around the top of the altar and along the shelf. On the wall is a statue of Jeanne Marie de Maille 1332-1414 who was recorded as performing 39 miracles in her lifetime and 13 after her death.

The small chapel at the back of the north aisle has a stone altar with a carving of the burial of Christ on the bottom. On the walls on either side are memorial plates listing the names of the dead from World War One.

The stained glass windows are very colourful with a series of Biblical scenes including the temptation of Eve and Noah building his arc.

In some ways, the interior didn’t live up to the over the top exterior. It is never the less a very good example of the flamboyance of late C19th architecture.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE EAST OF PERRUSSON - MASSAY

Massay is a large well maintained village along the main street, about 50 miles east of Perrusson. You won’t find it in the guide books and there is little information on the web. It has a bakers, butchers, small supermarket and a restaurant. The château is now a retirement home. There is a beautifully restored lavoir, but through a locked gate.

ÉGLISE ABBATIALE ST-MARTIN was part of an old Clunic Abbey. The present church is the chancel of the original Abbey church. Behind it are the remains of the cloisters with the chapter house (locked) and dormitories above.

There is a large tithe barn, smaller barn and another small rectangular chapel (also locked) with a very decorative carved north door. Mason’s marks can be seen on the stones above the doorway.

The Marie is in the Logis du Chambier or the Presbytery, depending on which sign you read.

An abbey was founded here around 738 but was plundered by the Normans in the C9th. It was rebuilt but destroyed by fire in 1128. Only the base of the tower, part of the north wall and the chapel survived. The monastery was gradually rebuilt and most of the present church is C14th or C15th. The Abbey was in a very dilapidated condition by the early C18th and was closed and dismantled. The church was given to the commune as the parish church. During the Revolution a new road was built from Reuilly which cut through the cloisters and the nave of the church.

The huge square tower would have been above the transept. It has massive buttresses at the corners with pinnacles, a carved balustrade around the top and a hipped tiled roof. The north wall is buttressed and there are flying buttresses on the south wall.

Entry is through the north door into a huge porch under the tower. It is rather a bare building inside. There are big buttresses on either side of the door inside the church, with additional arch supports to the side walls. It has a wooden roof with supporting struts. The round chancel has a spoke like arrangement of struts. The large painting on the south wall is the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. At the back of the church is a very modern red, pink and yellow painting of Christ.

The wooden choir stalls around the chancel have tall carved backs and misericords.

The high altar has a carving of Jesus feeding the 5000 and Jesus teaching in the temple. The stained glass windows at the east end contain brightly coloured modern stained glass windows with Biblical scenes, although the central window above the altar is C16th stained glass and has pictures of saints.

This is a good example of a small French town which is ignored by the guide books and visitors but never-the-less is still interesting with a lot of history.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE SOUTH OF PERRUSSON - PALLUAU-SUR-INDRE

The area to the south of Perrusson gets few visitors and hardly merits a mention in the guide books. This is a shame as it is a very pretty area with some very nice towns and small villages. We felt we were ready for a break from châteaux and wanted to do something different. The frescoes of the World Heritage site of St Savin were calling and there were more frescoes in the churches in the small villages south along the Gartempe Valley. The local tourist board is attempting to market the area more widely to encourage more visitors.

Using the Michelin map and the internet, I began to research the area and quickly came to the conclusion we could easily spend an interesting day here away from the crowds. There is little traffic and roads are good. We found the yellow and white roads on Michelin more pleasant to drive than the main red roads. As we drove south we lost the vines although there were orchards with people picking apples. As well as the usual arable and fields of sunflowers, maize and millet are also grown.

PALLUAU-SUR-INDRE is a small village off the D943 which I had picked up through the Slow Travel forum and had been told there were frescoes in the priory. We went to investigate. The village is dominated by the CHÂTEAU with stone gateway and old keep.

This has been renovated by new owners and is open open to public. They are very proud of the strong links with Quebec and are promoting this as a way of making the place different to the other Loire châteaux. Louis Buade de Frontenac, Count of Palluau was commissioned by Louis XIV to be Governor of New France. As well as developing the fur trade, he had to maintain peace between the Indians and French settlers. In 1690, he prevented the English taking Quebec. There are reconstructed scenes of the lives of the C17th settlers in the park.

The defensive gateway leads into a small courtyard area with the ticket office and old buildings built inside the wall. The square tower dates from the C13th. The rest is C16th built once the need for defensive and a military stronghold had ended.

The village of narrow streets, steps and old stone houses tumbles down the hillside from the château. The best views are from the camp site to the south, just across the river.

St Laurent Priory is a rather nondescript building on the main street tucked between shops and houses. The priory dates from the C11th and the frescoes in the crypt are C12th. After the revolution, the priory was turned into three dwelling houses and the frescoes covered with paint. It is now owned by the town council. Unfortunately it was shut for renovation when we visited in 2012.

The parish church, ÉGLISE ST-SULPICE, is below the château. It was originally dedicated to St. Sebastian in the C12th and became the collegiate chapter of Sainte Manoulde (Ste Ménéhoulde) in the C13th. It became the church of St Sulpice in 1801.

From the outside it is an uninspiring building and I was beginning to feel this was not going to be one of our better visits.

The building is C12th with C15th choir stalls with misericords and polychrome statues from the C15th, C16th & C17th. These are delightful and fully justified our visit.

The inside of the church is plain with a beautifully vaulted ceiling with carved bosses in the chancel. There is an old wooden balcony above the west door reached by a stone staircase.

Inside the doorway on the south wall is the remains of a fresco of a knight kneeling in prayer wearing a red tunic with 2 lions on the front.

On the south wall is a black band with the remains of the arms of the de Beauvillier Family. These were a seigneurial privilege to commemorate the death of a member of the family (a bit like the hatchments seen in many English churches).

Two beautifully carved wooden screens separate the transept from the nave.

At the end of the north transept is a stone altar with a statue of the Virgin and Child with old painted statues on either side. The decorative terra cotta floor tiles are C15th.

There is a lovely carved tufa altar with a small retable. The stained glass window above has an image of Christ in Majesty with two saints. On the left is a window with St Joseph. On the right is a window with St Solangia.

Between the windows there are polychrome statues, including St Roch pointing to his infected leg with the dog bringing him bread, a beautiful statue of the Vierge à la Colombe carrying the Christ child and St Menehoulde holding a book.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE SOUTH OF PERRUSSON - ST SAVIN

St Savin is a large settlement about 40 miles south of Perrusson. This is one of the few towns which felt unkempt and uninviting. Unusual in France there was litter and graffiti around the town. Signing is poor and we ended in a scruffy car park in the centre of town with disgusting public toilets. There is a larger (unsigned) car park set among trees by the abbey which does have slightly better toilets.

The best views of the abbey are from across the bridge when it can be seen above the river with the Abbot’s House (often incorrectly referred to as the château) along side it.

The C11th Abbey with its frescoes is a World Heritage Site. The original church was founded around 800AD in time of Charlemagne to house the bodies of two C5th martyrs, St Savin and St Cyprian. The crypt built to hold the holy relics still survives

By the C9th it was one of the major abbeys in the region. It was rebuilt in C11th and extended in the C13th. The spire is C14th.

It suffered during the Wars of Religion in the C16th when the archives were burnt along with dormitories, cloisters, organ and choir stalls. It lay in ruins until the late C17th when Benedictine monks began rebuilding. The community was disbanded during the Revolution and the monks left. The Abbey church became the parish church. The importance of the murals was recognised in the mid C19th when restoration work began.

The building towers above the river and dwarfs the surrounding buildings. The outside walls of the nave and transepts are heavily buttressed. There is a square tower with a pyramid roof above the transept. At the west end is a square tower with very tall decoratively carved spire. At the east end is a round apse with five smaller radiating apses off it.

Entry to the abbey is via the small shop. This has a good range of books, the usual selection of knights on horseback and a very poor selection of postcards. Access to the Abbey is free but there is a charge to visit the museum in the C17th Monk’s Building above the bookshop. This covers Romanesque art history, with films, models, dioramas and interactive terminals. We were told this was all in French, so we just visited the church. We were given an excellent free guide in English which identified the different murals.

On the opposite side of the shop is the Refectory building which has a rescued fresco from the nave which is mounted on a board which is hung on the wall. Abraham on the left is at the head of a group of infantry men who are scaring away the army of Calvary who had captured Lot.

We walked into the church and our jaws did literally drop. It is an incredible and very beautiful building. Architecturally it is a simple Romanesque building with its beauty coming from the frescoes and their colours. There is a very long and high nave with tall pillars with elaborately carved capitals painted in abstract designs in different shades of greys and pinks. The two pillars at the west end have faint remains of their original frescoes; paintings of different animals in small boxes. Above are round topped arches. Above is a barrel ceiling covered in frescoes.

The walls of the nave are made up of small blocks of stone covered in plaster. (It is possible to see the exposed stones in part of the south wall). Patterns of square bricks are outlined in red and there are small framed paintings of the Stations of the Cross. The nave has simple free standing wooden pews and there is a wall mounted wooden pulpit.

The side aisles have round pillars mounted on the side walls. The roof of the side aisles is vaulted and marked into bricks similar to the nave. There is a decorative red, blue and white frieze painted around the walls.

The nave ceiling is covered in frescoes arranged in two bands of separate panels on either side, and illustrate Old Testament stories from Genesis and Exodus. The leaflet we were given had details of all the panels, including those which have been lost. They begin with the story of the Creation and end with God giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses. The pictures are full of colour and life. There is God taking a rib from Adam and a huge serpent tempting Eve.

A scene shows the building of the Tower of Babel, with workmen carrying stone blocks and a mason seizing a bucket of mortar which has been pulled up on a pulley.

Another shows the safe passage through the Red Sea at the bottom. Above Cain is killing Abel and being cursed by God. On the far right, God is instructing Noah about building the ark.

There is a delightful picture of Noah’s Arc full of animals with dead bodies washing around in the flood.

Another panel shows God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses.

Steps lead up to the porch at the west end. Above the doorway leading to the porch is a fresco of the Virgin and Child surrounded by angels. An open window above gives a glimpse into the tower which has more frescoes but is only visited on a guided tour.

Inside the porch above the doorway is Christ in Majesty with angels on his right holding a large cross. On the underside of the arch are frescoes of apostles and angels. Paintings on the walls include the Virgin and Child facing down a fierce winged dragon with Joseph throwing up his hands in horror. Next to it is the scene of the plague of locusts, which are shown as winged horses with human heads.

The transept is very tall and narrow. It has crosses on the end walls, statues and old choir stalls. In the north transept is a replica of the tombstone of L’Abbe Odon, the second Abbot who died in 820 and a painting of the Good Shepherd. The south transept has a memorial to the dead of World War One.

Two sets of steps lead down into the crypt which houses the tombs of St Savin and St Cyprien, but the doors were shut.

There is a very stylish chancel with ambulatory around it. There is a semi-circle of ten tall round pillars with highly carved carved capitals and round arches. Above are small round topped windows with modern stained glass and small red crosses painted on the ceiling.

There are five small apses. The two on the north side have statues of St Anne with the Young Virgin Mary and St Joseph with the child Jesus. The central apse has a simple stone altar and host box and the remains of frescoes of saints and angels.

The apses on the north side have a statue of St Hilary and the crowned St Rodegundis. At the back of the ambulatory, more steps lead down into the crypt and the tomb of St Marius.

This was a very worthwhile visit and a highlight of the week.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE SOUTH OF PERRUSSON - ANTIGNY

From St Savin, we drove along the Gartempe valley through wooded and arable countryside to Antigny. This is a pleasant small village with a central square on the site of the old cemetery with a double row of poplar trees round the edge. There is a pump and C12th Death Lantern Post, which was typical of west and central France and was used as a funerary beacon.

ÉGLISE NOTRE-DAME is a small, very simple C11th building with a stumpy spire and C15th funerary chapel built onto the south wall. The eaves were extended in the C18th to cover the south porch forming a cocquetoire or balc (cacklehouse) where the parishioners gathered for public meetings.

By the side of the west door is a stone slab supported by columns with carved tops which is probably where a coffin was laid before entering the church.

Steps lead down into the nave. There are two old stone fonts at the back of the church. The nave has small round topped windows. Those in the chancel are later, in the Gothic style. The wall separating nave and chancel has a large central arch with smaller arches on either side. Massive internal buttresses on the wall help support the tower. The nave roof is made up of wooden slats with structural wooden cross beams.

The tops of the walls round the nave are covered with C14th wall paintings, mainly in shades of yellows and reds. These had been covered with several layers of whitewash with false red joints and were forgotten until flaking paint revealed traces of frescoes. They have been cleaned and restored. There are two panels of frescoes along the walls.

On the south wall is the Last Supper, which extends round the window recess to fit in the twelve apostles, and the arrest of Christ.

There are also scenes of the Passion of Christ and the Last Judgement. The lower panels depict scenes of saints including St George killing the dragon and St Christopher carrying the Christ Child. There is a lovely fresco depicting the funeral of a bishop.

The chancel ceiling is painted blue and covers older paintings. The walls are divided into squares by red lines which have a red flower motif in the centre and may again cover more frescoes. The high altar is made of stone with carvings of the Annunciation on the base. Statues on the east end wall include Joan of Arc and the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child. The stained glass window in the chancel has pictures of St Savin, St Hilary, St Ragegonde and St Cyprien with two angels above and God the Father and God the Son at the top.

A small wooden doorway leads into the CHAPELLE-STE-CATHERINE which was built onto the south wall at the beginning of the C15th as a family vault for the Lord of Mauléon. It is unusual as the altar is at the west end.

The walls and ceilings are covered with paintings depicting the life of Christ from the Nativity, on the top with the Last Supper, His Passion and Crucifixion below.

Above the pictures of Christ carrying the cross is a representation of the legend of the Living and the Dead, based on a C13th poem. Three young noblemen enjoying life to the full meet three corpses who urge them to reform before it is too late.

The Judgement of the Dead has the dead rising out of their coffins and scenes with the devil.

On the ceiling is Christ in Majesty.

The frescos in the Chapelle Ste-Catherine are a blaze of colour and still vibrant. This was another good visit.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE SOUTH OF PERRUSSON - JOUHET

The next village in the Gartempe valley from Antigny is Jouhet. A bridge with flowers leads into the village. It is a pretty village with a lot of old stone houses. The church is on one side of the road at the start of the village with the FUNERARY CHAPELLE STE-CATHERINE across the road on what used to be the old cemetery. The chapel is kept locked but the key can be got from Le Val de Gartempe restaurant, just up the street, which is closed on Mondays. Alternatively it may be possible to get a key from the Marie.

From the outside, the chapel is a very plain stone building with a slate roof. Above the door is a carved cross and a small niche which had bright red geraniums in it. The chapel was used for holding services for the deceased and for housing sepulchres.

Steps lead down into the Chapel which was empty apart from a C15th stone altar, a modern table and chair and a notice about guided tours in the summer months. There were the remains of old tombstones on the floor. The only light is from the two long thin windows at the east end

The base of the walls are unpainted. There is a small shelf round the wall about seven foot above the ground painted in bands of red and orange with a narrow white line separating them. This colour scheme extends to the walls of the recessed windows. The C15th paintings above this in shades of yellows reds and blacks and are some of the best preserved in the area.

There are scenes of the Creation, with Eve taking the apple from the serpent.

There is a depiction of the Annunciation and a lovely scene of the nativity with a cow and horse looking through the window of the stable.

There are scenes of the angels telling the shepherds and the adoration of the Magi.

The Last Judgement has a very emaciated Christ above coffins releasing their dead. This is one of the few places the blue pigment survives. Elsewhere it has degraded to black.

On the barrel ceiling is a painting of Christ in Majesty surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists.

There is a large painting of the Three Living and the Three Dead, here represented as three men on horseback hunting hare. One has a hawk. Below are the hounds chasing the hares. The three young huntsmen suddenly meet three corpses who warn them of the fragility of life and the vanity of material things and advise them to be converted. Although the writing in the speech bubbles has been lost, the message is clear “what you are, we once were and what we are, you will be”.

There is little information about ÉGLISE NOTRE DAME DE JOUHET on the web. It is a plain rectangular stone building with small offset tower in the north east corner and a small sacristy on the south wall.

Inside it is a simple C11th Romanesque building with no side aisle, barrel ceiling and very long thin windows. The nave has a barrel ceiling with no ribs. There are two small stone altars built onto the north and south walls.

The church feels a little sad inside and there is probably little to justify a visit, unlike the funerary chapel which is magnificent.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE SOUTH OF PERRUSSON - ANGLES SUR L’ANGLIN

By now we were having to watch the time and began to return to Perrusson. We had a brief stop at Angles sur l'Anglin, which is described as one of the most beautiful villages in France. It is dominated by the ruins of the C12th castle on a rocky ridge overlooking the Anglin river with a small water mill. The best views of this are from the D2 to the south west across the bridge.

There is parking on the road below the castle walls. In September this was only open at weekends.

Steep narrow cobbled streets and steps lead up to Haut Ville with a few cafes and tourist style shops. It is a very attractive small village to wander round.

Eglise St-Martin was shut for renovation in 2012. The Tourist Office in the square has an exhibition on drawn thread work - table cloths, tray cloths, handkerchiefs, blouses, child’s dress. The workmanship is exquisite. During the time of Napoleon III there were over 300 embroiderers here who supplied the grand Parisian shops.

 

[Eleanor]

TO THE SOUTH OF PERRUSSON - PREUILLY-SUR-CLAISE

Our final stop was Preuilly-sur-Claise, which is the main town for the region and dominated by the massive Église Abbatatiale St-Pierre on top of the hill.

This was the former abbey church and is a marvellous example of Romanesque architecture. It has a tall tower with red and green tiles arranged in a diamond pattern. The nave has flying buttresses on the outside, much needed as the internal walls are beginning to bulge out. There is a Romanesque apse with round pillars and arches at the east end.

Inside it is a massive construction with a tall and narrow nave with a barrel roof barrel roof and vaulted side aisles. Tall pillars supporting round arches separate the nave and side aisles.

Internal buttresses support the transept and side aisles.

The ambulatory around the chancel has round pillars with very elaborately carved capitals and round arches picked out in dark red. Above is a semi-circle of pillars with blind arches and stained glass windows above. These have a carved frieze round them. The small chapels off the ambulatory have statues and altars. Old tombstones are set in the floor.

The high altar has carvings of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, the Last Supper and the Garden of Gethsemane.

There are more beautifully carved altars in the transepts.

The transept and ambulatory pillars have splendid carved capitals.

Unfortunately time didn't allow a wander round the town. This seems to be another pretty small town, like so many in France, which is ignored by the guide books and there is little information on the web.