I like snakes.
And lizards
After our failed attempt to go to Medieval Land I was a little bummed out. So the very next day I hopped a bus and went anyway. It was rainy but I didn’t care. A thirty minute ride later and I was in Chauvigny! This is the view right before you cross into Chauvigny.
First stop was Chauvigny’s Notre Dame.
The sign read:
Notre-Dame Church is the only place of worship in the lower town. Inside, the transept crossing includes capitals illustrating Original Sin, and decorated with gryphons, large quadrupeds standing on their hind legs, and superb foliage.
At the end of the right arm of the transept is a large fresco dating from the late 15th and early 16th Centuries. It shows Christ carrying an excessively large Cross, assisted by a crowed of followers.
A tour of the lower town includes the so called “Knights Templars” House (13th Century), and “King John’s House”, the Church of St. Pierre-les-Egilses and the Country’s Modern Art Gallery.
A tour of the lower town includes the so called “Knights Templars” House (13th Century), and “King John’s House”, the Church of St. Pierre-les-Egilses and the Country’s Modern Art Gallery.
The upper town is altuated on a spur of rock high above the R. Vienne and its five fortresses regrouped within a single outer wall. It is the only mediaeval settlement of its kind in Europe.
Surprisingly there wasn’t much to see at this church. There was a neat statue of Jesus with a heart on His chest, the unknown kind man with the little kid, finally a statue of Miss Joan of Arc and this really large painting on the wall. Other than that the stain glass windows where very plain, the oil paintings where in disrepair and it looked just like an ordinary church inside.
After poking around the Notre Dame I headed up the hill to see the mediaeval panorama area. It’s like a rest stop for picture taking. It was here that I got knocked down by a group of guys on bikes. The camera fell out of my pocket and smashed on the ground. It still works but has some really bad scratches on it. I owe my sister a new camera when I get back state side. Any who I got some really spectacular pictures from the panorama site!
So then I couldn’t stand it any longer! I had to go to the medieval town! There are five castles in the Medieval City.
Harcourt Castle has exhibits and holds events inside but was closed until April.
The Bishop’s Castel is an old fortress but only the surrounding walls are still visiable. Here is where the bird sho “The Giants of the Sky” is held. They have falcons, hawks and eagles all trained for the show. But this is another attraction that was closed until April. I snuck over the fence to catch a few birdy pictures anyway!
Gouzon’s Keep is another castle that holds exhibits on Chauvinois’ industrial heritage… closed until April.
There is Mauléon Castle but it’s almost all in ruins now, so is Flins Tower.
I could see the outside of these places so it still fun. I’ll just have a destination to head back to in April!
On an interesting side note, I thought it was really neat the way the pigeons here rested on the ruins. You can see them nesting in the air holes and squeezing themselves on the little ledges of the bricks. It was peaceful the way they all just sat around and cooed at each other.
Still wanting the medieval experience I decided to walk around a bit. This is where I found the Church of Saint Pierre. The back side of the church was really easy to find. It was harder to find a way inside.
It might be hard to believe but this small little door is the entrance to this impressive church. The door was located on the opposite end and was pretty ordinary. The only decorations it had was three pillars on each side that had odd looking animals at the tops. I really didn’t know what to expect before I walked in this place.
You should never judge a church by its odd architectural layout! Inside it looked as if someone painstakingly painted each and every brick white with black on the edge. Then another guy got boarder-happy with the red and yellow paint!
But white, black, red and yellow were not the only colors here! In the middle of the room was a splash of rainbow! The columns and walls were painted beautifully. It looked like a fresh coat of paint had been put on this morning. There was even a painted banner on the wall that circled the entire room.
There were two things that erked me about this church. For starters it was ice cold. I think being up so high might have been one reason. The second was the dead people! Why oh why would you have tombs in church? Outside in the cemetery is ok but not inside the building! I found one that looked like someone had moved the top of it over a bit. So I stuck my camera lens down there and snapped a picture. Don’t worry. The camera says that there isn’t a body down there. Body or not…. It’s still gives me the hebby-jeebys!This church also had a neat little sculpture on the wall. I have no idea what it is but I like it.
After this it was lunch time so I popped into a pub to get some grub. But I was shocked at the prices! I was charged 2.60 for a glass of coke. That's too much for a coke in US dollars, now translate that to Euros and you'll come to the same conclusion I did.... I got robbed! I couldn’t imagine what lunch would have been. So I drank my golden coke and went exploring again. This is when I ran into this cute little pottery shop.
I found the Popular Traditions Museum up on a hill but it was closed. It still made for a very nice photo don't you think?
Then I found the Espace.
Espace d’archéologie industrielle (Donjon de Gouzon)
This 11th – 13th century keep stands on a hilltop that was the site of a human settlement 3,500 years B.C.
The various levels of occupation have made it possible to lay out an Industrial Archaeological Exhibition in the keep, with themes illustrated by objects produced at various stages in the region’s history. The limestone quarries, porcelain works, and modern industries in Chauvigny are represented next to older trades and Industrial sites, many of which have disappeared e.g. the windmills, tile making works, and lime kilns.
To take visitors up from one level to another in this building, Sylvain Dubulsson, Architect/Designer, has built a lift that is a work of art in its own right. It was a public commission from the Plastic Arts Department.
From the terrace, there is an unusual view of the mediaeval town, and the Vienne and Talbat Valleys.
From the terrace, there is an unusual view of the mediaeval town, and the Vienne and Talbat Valleys.
Hanging around the little square were these little sitting figures. I’m not sure how many there are to find but I did find two of them. I guess Greenville wasn’t the first place to put up little hide-and-seek statues. Although little mice that read ‘Good Night Moon’ is a bit more challenging than finding life size people made of bronze.
Then I pretended to be a fairy tale princes walking through the kingdom. I snapped some more medieval feeling photos on my way down the hill.
I passed by this shop and it made me feel a bit home sick but I’m not quite sure why. At this point I was starving so into Coops I went! Now this is where I’ve been having trouble in France. 
<< You see this is what they show you at the door.This is what they expect you to buy for dinner. I don’t even know what that is. I see some eggs with brown parts and some tomatoes. I’m guessing that the middle is some sort of shell-fish (POISION, DANGER). >>
This is the options they give you on the aisle beside the ‘real’ food. >><< Oh and if you want to go cheap there is always the discounted chocolate Santa. I had to get outta Coops before I bought a ton of chocolate.
To be on the safe side I walked into a shop that said Hot Sandwiches. Safe bet right? Nope… this is what I found.
I finally settled on a home-made ham and gravy hot pocket, coke and this tasty little chocolate mousse covered white cake in a chocolate peanut brittle covered base. Hey don’t look at me like that. I ate real food first!
After a nice lunch I headed back to the square to wait for the bus to go home. Here I found a hidden monument that wasn’t on my tour map!
MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVE AND TO FUTURE PEACE
Raised close to the Tree of Liberty, planted in 1948, this memorial, a six meter high monolith hewn out of Chauvigny limestone and weighing 12 tons, stands as a witness to those who lost their life and to a desire for future peace. It was inaugurated on April 23th 1977.
As a symbol of remembrance
A list bearing the names of those civilians and soldiers, who gave their life for France, in wars since 1870, is sealed at the heart of a block of stone, extracted from one of Chauvigny’s quarries. It was the wish of the Chauvinois to associate the names of these people with the memory of prisoners of war, deportees or exiles from the town, together with the memory of those millions of men, women and children oppressed, maimed or killed by war across the five continents.
A Peace yearned for not only in our town, but throughout the whole of France, Europe and indeed the entire world. A peace that will bring freedom and contentment to all peoples. This ideal is underlined by the many stones set around the foot of the memorial. These have been sent from different countries, many of which have experienced, or are at present experiencing, human suffering though war and want. Set in Chauvigny’s memorial, the stones shout out their messages of fellowship to all those willing to strive for peace.
Belive it or not this wasn't even all the stones! But I was suprised that America wasn't on here. Maybe my historian can explain. After playing all day it was time to go home. I got on the bus with plans of visiting this wonderful little town again in April!
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