Still following the trail of "the most beautiful villages" we arrived in Apremont in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region. Apremont has existed since Roman times when a camp was built on the left bank of the river Vie. The local terrain is quite rugged lending itself to the development of easily defended areas. Apremont Castle, built in the 16th century on the site of a former fortress by Philippe Chabot de Brion, is one such area.
The other significant feature in town is the Church of St. Martins was built originally in the 12th century on a promontory of rock overlooking the river Vie. The current St. Martins was built in 1902 and is endowed with an 83 foot spire and a 16th century stained glass window. The rest of the village looked like, well, a village. No obvious Disneyfication, no super tidy streets just the real thing, a working village using the resources handed down by history. More pictures here.
No comments:
Post a Comment