Apremont, France - June 19, 2011

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.

Coulon, France - June 19, 2011

Coulon lies on the banks of the river Sèvre and is in the Deux-Sèvres department of the Poitou-Charentes region in western France. Although the area has been inhabited for a long time, amply witnessed by the discovery of neolithic remains, bronze age items, and Roman relics close by, Coulon itself is only about 1200 years old. The Church of Saint Trinity was originally established in 830 but has been rebuilt several times, the most recent being in the the 17th century after the predecessor burned to the ground.
With a current population around 2,400 the village's one time importance as a river transportation link faded with the coming of the railways and today Coulon is a quiet backwater largely dependent on tourists and recreational river related activities. Although billed as one of "the most beautiful villages in France", it is one that has undergone a rigorous and sterilizing makeover by the Ministry of Culture and short of renting a paddle boat on the river there was little left for us to do or see. Pretty much a poster child for how to refurbish a village to oblivion. See here for a few more pictures.

Maché, France - June 18, 2011

Maché was on our itinerary as a convenient overnight stop. The campsite is called Val de Vie and has 78 pitches (sites) of which 69 have electricity and 16 of these are permanent. The site is open from May 1st through September 30th and an overnight stay costs $30 to $42 depending on the season.
The town itself is in the Vendée department of the Pays de la Loire region of western France. The population is around 1,200 and has been growing fairly sharply in recent years - from 740 in 1968, 768 in 1975, 789 in 1982, 899 in 1990 and broke 1000 at 1,093 in 1999. There is some new construction in town with a total of around 606 dwellings in 2007 of which 524 are primary dwellings, 61 secondary residences and 21 vacant dwellings.
There is a church and a school. See snaps here.

Montsoreau, France - June 16, 2011

Montsoreau is a tiny market town on the river Loire, close to the confluence of the rivers Loire and Vienne, in the Maine-et-Loire department. With a population between 500 and 600 there is not a lot of industry or indeed much in the way of commerce in the immediate area.

At the beginning of 11th century, Montsoreau had already developed as a strategic military point and the rocky outcrop on the left bank bore the castrum of Monte Sorello, an old fortress from the first millemnium CE. The current Chateau was constructed on the bank of the Loire river in 1455 by Jean de Chambes, a senior councilor to King Charles VII. From here the chateau continued to exercise control over river traffic between Chinon and Saumur.
Alexandre Dumas' novel La Dame de Monsoreau is based on the amorous escapades of two ladies who occupied the castle during the reign of King Henri III.
In 1634 the then lord of the chateau, Rene de Chambes, was condemned for trafficking in salt and other offenses and fled to England. By the end of the 19th century, the castle was abandoned and in near ruin having been used as a warehouse for many years. In 1913, Jean de Geoffre and the Council of Maine-et-Loire acquired the property and it was extensively renovated in 1994.
More views of this classy looking mansion here.

Loches, France - June 15, 2011

Loches is a small market town in the Indre-et-Loire department of the Centre region. It has actually increased its population by about one third over the last two centuries to its present count of 6,400 persons.
The town originally formed around a monastery that was founded about 500 CE by St. Ours and which belonged to the Counts of Anjou from 886 until 1205. It was subsequently seized from King John of England by Philip Augustus and, from the middle of the 13th century until after the time of Charles IX of France, the castle was a residence of the kings of France.
Loches lies close to the river Indre and at the northern foot of a rocky prominent on which was built the Château de Loches. Inside the 13 foot thick wall surrounding the complex is the collegiate church of St. Ours, the royal lodge and the donjon.
Designed and occupied by Henry II of England and his son, Richard the Lionheart, the castle stands 100 feet above the Indre.
After its capture by the French, it was upgraded into a huge military fortress. The castle became a favorite residence of Charles VII of France and later was converted for use as a State prison by his son, King Louis XI. During the American Revolution King Louis XVI used the castle of Loches as a prison for captured Englishmen.

During the French Revolution, the château was ransacked and although some restoration was begun in 1806 significant areas exist just as ruins. The 11th-century donjon is a massive 76 feet by 51 feet with walls more than 9 feet thick and its four storeys stand 121 feet high with each floor used as a single room.
Some mixed light industry exists around town including distilling, tanning and
pottery making along with more modern ventures including electronics and automobile equipment. More pictures here.

Montrésor, France - June 14, 2011

The village of Montrésor is located in the department of Indre-et-Loire and is listed as one of the 'Most beautiful villages in France'. There are more than 150 French villages thus designated and the awards are given in part to encourage the inhabitants to conserve their surroundings. Unfortunately, Montrésor is another rural community whose population is now a little over 300 - down from 600+ two centuries ago. In the lower village by the river Indrois are the remnants of the old water mill and the one remaining lavoir - clothes washing facility.
The Chateau de  Montresor  sits on a granite spur overlooking the lower village while the upper village is home to a grand looking church dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
The name Montrésor is attributed by some, to one of the original lords of the village who was the treasurer of Tours cathedral. The "mount of the treasurer" - "mons thesauri" in French - evolved into Montrésor. Likely we will never know for sure. Check out more pictures here.

Saint-Benoît-du-Sault, France - June 13, 2011

Still in the Indre department of the Centre region, we stopped briefly at Saint-Benoît-du-Sault, a medieval village overlooking the Portefeuille River. In 974 CE, some benedictine monks of Sacierges-Saint-Martin took refuge on a granite spur, where they founded a priory - the future Saint-Benoît-du-Sault.
From the 10th to the 17th century, the history of the priory (and the entire village for that matter) is peppered with bouts of resistance against feudal neighbors including the Limoges and de Brosse family. The town was surrounded by a double line of ramparts. The first protected the priory, the church and the fort, while the second, built in the 15th century, encompassed the entire commercial area.
Like the majority of small rural communities visited on this trip, populations have roughly halved over the last two hundred years. Saint Benoît is currently hovering around 600 souls. See more of this unique little village.

Gargilesse Dampierre, France - June 13, 2011

Gargilesse Dampierre, a tiny community of 320 folk or so, lies in a small valley by the Gargilesse river. Approaching the village was reminiscent of English driving in country lanes with the hedgerows scrubbing both side of the little camper van for several miles.

Formerly the site of a Gallo-Roman castle and a Romanesque-Byzantine church of the 12th and 13th centuries, Gargilesse became the retirement village for the French authoress Georges Sand in 1857. It has become a magnet for wannabe artists of every ilk in recent times.

Les Comtes de Gargilesse built a fortified castle here in the 13th century. Hugues de Naillac, Lord of Gargilesse led a crusade to the Holy Land and brought back a statue of a byzantine Virgin for which he built the Romanesque chapel next to the castle. In 1750, following a fire and subsequent deliberate dismantlement, the castle was rebuilt as a manor house. In 1998, the painter Annick Thevenin purchased the castle to create an Art gallery.

At the age of fifty three and at the height of her career, George Sand dreamed of retirement and a place to settle, finally choosing Gargilesse. This indeed proved to be a paradise for George for, between 1857 and 1862, she wrote thirteen novels, two volumes of essays and three plays. Her work "Elle et Lui", at 620 pages was written in just 25 days! Sand's house was purchased by the commune in 1959. More pictures here.

Châtillon-sur-Indre, France - June 13, 2011

Châtillon-sur-Indre is a small town of less than 3000 population in the Indre department of central France, in the Centre-Val-de-Loire region. The town has a citadel looming high against the skyline and a Roman church of some interest.
There is adequate shopping available in and close by, with large supermarkets for everyday essentials in addition to smaller and more intriguing shops peppered around the old town. Every Friday morning the market is in town for farm fresh produce and tasty treats.
With its superb location in central France, Châtillon-sur-Indre lies on the edge of the Brenne National Park providing miles of nature trails for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. See here for more pictures.

FSRA, Herisson, France - June 11, 2011

From its beginnings in 1930s California, when acned young bloods began racing each other light to light, Hot Rodding has matured into an international hobby. The Model T Ford was in vogue when the fad began and since then all manner of roadsters have been lovingly transformed to the will of the owner. Hot Rods were formally organized in the US in 1940 followed by Australia in the 1960s then Britain and Sweden in the 1980s.
In 1991 La France Street Rod Association (FSRA) was established bringing together fans of Hot Rodding in France and promoting it to the public. Since 1992 FSRA has organized national and regional events and it just so happened that a group drove through Herisson while we were there. If you like to see these alter-ego automobiles check them out here.

Hérisson, France - June 12, 2011

 Hérisson is a delightful town located in the Allier department of the Auvergne region in central France. The river Aumance, a tributary of the Cher, flows through the town and eventually the Cher joins the River Loire and so to the Atlantic ocean.
Dominating Hérisson are the castle ruins, visible from almost everywhere in town. Built by the Dukes of Bourbon in the 14th century to oversee river traffic, the castle was first taken by Louis XI in the 15th century, changed hands again in the 17th century before finally being dismantled by Cardinal Mazarin and converted to  a stone quarry.
At the time of our visit the castle was beginning to be restored but was still open to the public free of charge. Worth the climb to inspect the architectural detail and get some different views across town. Refurbishment is expected to be complete in about two years.

The literal translation of Hérisson is hedgehog which accounts for the city crest shown here. The low key gift shop in town has all manner of hedgehog centric souvenirs including some fine ceramic pieces.
Check out these other pictures.

Charroux, France - June 11, 2011

Charroux is a fortified village of about 320 people in the Allier department of the Auvergne region in west central France. At 1360 feet altitude the village flourished in the renaissance period, led by its wine making and leather tanning industries. The Saint Jean Baptiste Church in the middle of the village has a curiously truncated bell tower although there is no explanation offered for the uniquely stubby steeple.
In 785 CE a Benedictine abbey was founded in Charroux by Roger, Count of Limoges. The abbey church was rebuilt in the 11th century to become one of the largest Romanesque churches in Christendom at 413 feet long. Following the death of Richard the Lionheart, King of England and Duke of Aquitaine in April 1199, the king's brain was buried at Charroux Abbey. In 1762 the abbey was abandoned and following the French Revolution the buildings were sold and were partly demolished to form a racecourse. The only remaining structure of the church is the 11th-century lantern tower, known as the Charlemagne Tower. Pictures here.

Nevers, France - June 10, 2011

Nevers, a community in the Nièvre department of the Bourgogne region, first appears in written history as Noviodunum, which in 52 BCE, was upgraded to a depot by Julius Caesar. By the end of the 5th century it became the seat of a bishopric and the city later obtained charters in 1194 and in 1231.
The most important religious building in the city is the Cathédrale of Saint Cyr-Sainte Julitte, dedicated to Saint Quiricus and Saint Julietta. The cathedral is actually a combination of two buildings, and possesses two apses - the apse and transept at the west end are the remains of a Romanesque church, while the nave and eastern apse are in the Gothic style and belong to the 14th century.
Today, Nevers manufactures porcelain, agricultural implements, chemical manures, glue, boilers and iron goods, boots and shoes and fur garments, and has distilleries, tanneries and dye works - a really diverse range of light manufacture. More pictures.

Sancerre, France - June 10, 2011

Our 2011 French tour was loosely based on a book called "The 100 most Beautiful Villages in France". The visit to Druyes-les-Belle-Fontaines had been a little unsettling in this regard since the book had completely missed the castle and its appurtenances - a key part of the experience.

Sancerre too, was somewhat disappointing. True, it is old and has played a part in much European history but it is somewhat drab having endured a utilitarian makeover while the main square has been transformed into a curious sidewalk cafe-like dais.
A natural 700 feet high fortress, Sancerre was a feudal possession of the Counts of Champagne who built a chateau on the hill in 1152 complete with ramparts to protect the city. The fortified city repelled the English forces twice during the Hundred Years' War but much of the surrounding area was destroyed by the forces of Edward, the Black Prince.
A mansion in the style of Louis XII was built on the ruins of the original Chateau in 1874 by Mlle de Crussol d'Uzès which, during World War I, became the site of a military hospital. The population of Sancerre has declined steadily over the past two centuries, from 2500 in 1810 to less than 1700 today. More pictures and commentary here.

Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines, France - June 9, 2011

From Clamecy it was but a pleasant 10 mile drive back into the Yonne department to the tiny community of Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines. With a population of about 300, Druyes is about 600 feet above sea level and is actually two places - the village down by the river and the city around the castle on the hill.The suffix "les-Belles-Fontaines" refers to the springs that feed the river in the village.

In the third century, St. Martin of Tours stopped by Druyes to convert the people who quickly returned to pagan worship after he left. It was not until the sixth century that St. Romain, a disciple of St. Benedict settled here in a cave and whose piety resulted in the creation of a monastery around 543.
The Castle and surrounding city is a snapshot of the Middle Ages right in the heart of Burgundy. It was built in the second half of the twelfth century by the Count of Nevers and made famous by Peter of Courtenay and his daughter the Countess Mahaut. From the fourteenth century, Druyes went into decline. The castle passed successively through the hands of the Counts of Flanders, the Dukes of Burgundy, the family of Cleves House and Mantua.
Finally, in 1735, the Duke of Nevers sold it to Louis Druyes Damascus , Marquis of Anlezy and the life of the Castle effectively ended. See more pictures of this unique community.

Clamecy, France - June 8, 2011

Still in the Burgundy region we had traveled into the Nièvre department to stop at a small campsite by the Canal de Nivernais a mile or so outside of Clamecy. Documents from 634 CE refer to the settlement of Clamiciacus which then belonged to the bishops of Auxerre.
During the Hundred Years War, Clamecy was sacked and then substantially rebuilt during the 14th century. In the 16th century it prospered as the origin of the 'Flottage du bois', by which lumber from the Morvan forests was floated down river to Paris, a process that continued until the 1923.
Clamecy underwent a typical concentric French development cycle beginning with the 13th to 16th century core of remarkably intact houses surrounded by 19th century houses and buildings and fringed with 20th century developments forming an outer ring. The principal downtown building is the church of St Martin which dates progressively from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries and was classified as a historic monument in 1840. The church was not open to the public.
Once the site of saw-mills, boot and shoes factories and chemical production, most of which vanished in the first decades of the 20th century, Clamecy is now largely dependent on tourism, agriculture and the output of a few industrial units on the edge of town. Many of the declining population of 4,500 people commute to larger cities such as Auxerre and Paris for employment. More views here.

Vézelay, Burgundy France - June 8 2011

Yonne is a department of the Burgundy region of central France (somewhat akin to a County within a State in the USA) and Vézelay is a community of less than 500 people in the Yonne department. It is a highly defensible hilltop town and for this reason has been populated since ancient times.
In the 9th century the Benedictines were given land to build a monastery and in the 11th century the current Basilica of St Magdelene was built. Both the town and the Basilica are UNESCO World Heritage sites and are a significant pilgrim destination as well as a major starting point for pilgrims on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Bernard of Clairvaux preached the Second Crusade at Vézelay in 1146 and in 1189, the Frankish and English factions of the Third Crusade met at Vézelay before officially departing for the Holy Land. Vézelay is surrounded by vineyards and produce a range of mostly white wines, predominantly based on the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Melon de Bourgogne grape varieties. More pictures here.

Noyers, France - June 8, 2011

Noyers, or Noyers-sur-Serein as it is sometimes grandly called, is another "Udder" town almost completely enclosed by an udder shaped loop of the river Serein - a great defensive aid. Home to around 750 people Noyers is in the Yonne department of the Burgundy region in north-central France.
While the origins of Noyers are unclear the present name was certainly around at the end of the 12th century when Hugues de Noyers, bishop of Auxerre, built a massive fortified castle at the north end of town. The castle was beleaguered by Blanche de Castille’s troops in 1217 and resisted successfully surviving in fact until 1599 when King Henry IV finally dismantled it.
Historically, wine and grain were the main products of the area supplemented by walnut and cherry trade. Agriculture remains the mainstay of the area with considerable consolidation of farms and much mechanization.
Pretty much a textbook north central France village - more pictures here.

Troyes, France - June 7, 2011

Located on the river Seine about 93 miles southeast of Paris and sporting numerous 16th century half-timbered houses, Troyes has been around since the Roman times. Known then as Augustobona Tricassium, Troyes is today the capital of the Aube department in north-central France and stands at the hub of highways leading to Reims, Langres (and eventually Milan), Poitiers, Autun and Orléans.
Late in the Roman cycle the settlement atrophied and became known simply as Tricassae, the origin of French Troyes from the number three. Interesting illustrated history here.
Louis the Stammerer received the imperial crown from the hands of Pope John VIII in 878  at Troyes and at the end of the ninth century the Counts of Champagne chose Troyes as their capital which it remained until the Revolution. During the Middle Ages, it was an important trading town and the concept of troy weight used today in gold trading was born here. Click for more pictures.

Boiry Notre Dame, France - June 5, 2011

After picking up our little camper van, Penny Pilote, in Numansdorp, NL, we usually raid the local grocery store and then go hell for leather out of Holland, across Belgium to reach the tranquility and relative normalcy of northern France. This trip was no exception - provisioned up at Albert Heins and a few hours of forgettable freeway behind us, we arrived at La Paille Haute (The High Straw) in Boiry Notre Dame by mid-afternoon.
Boiry-Notre-Dame is a tiny town in the Pas-de Calais Department of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. At an altitude of about 270 feet and occupying less than 2.5 square miles, it is home to a little over 400 souls. This quiet farming village is about 10 miles southeast of Arras, has a school, a Marie (Mayor's place), a church and a memorial to yet more glorious dead. The church of St.Vaast was rebuilt in the 1920's after being destroyed in WWI. Click here for more pictures.