Chatellerault

I decided to go to Chatellerault because online I saw pictures of some crazy bug statues.  When I got there I was a little bummed to find out that the bugs had been removed.  I guess the “bug city” wasn’t something the people of Chatellerault wanted to be remembered as.  So instead I got a victors map and headed off into town.  It wasn’t long until I got lost, the map stunk.  I also learned that most of the ‘attractions’ where just signs on buildings that you couldn’t go inside.  So I put the map in my pocket and went willy-nilly around town looking for things to get into.  I found this church first.

The sign said Eglise Saint-Jean Baptiste

In 1469, a new church called St. John the Baptist is blessed to the city of Chatellerault. It is called "beyond the walls" of the fortifications.

A few years later it was rebuilt and consecrated in 1496. The building was reworked in 1865, particularly with its chorus and the steeple headdress of a neo-gothic arrow shot in 1952.

Inside was some nice stained-glass pices.

And of course some statues:

< Man's best friend

My buddy Anthony >

v Crazy cool inside v

The biggest attraction in Chatellerault is this bridge.  It’s on a lot of the postcards here so I took a few pictures.  Do you see the black specks on the picture of the river?  Those are bugs.  Where you have water, you will find bugs.

I was getting excited now.  Going to churches in France has been a big deal for me.  For one thing they are almost always open, almost always free, look really need outside and have some pretty things inside.  It took a few hours before I stumbled into this hidden treasure!

Eglise Saint-Jacques
On the Road to Santiago between Tours and Poitiers, pilgrims gather to claim their protector. This church has characteristics of "novel Poitevin", including two towers surrounding a large richly carved facade, divided by arches and horizontal bands. This church was transformed into the Protestant church from 1569 to 1589.






Outside there was so much to see!

< A lion reading the Bible


A priest standing on the Devil                            >

^ Some sort of crazy animal cross breed ^                                         ^ This has got to be hell ^

 v A bird wispering into the ear of a lion v (brave bird)                        v Snakes Snakes Snakes v

  
                              ^  Heaven and Hell ^               v Line of bishops v

Inside housed some note worthy statues:

 < Another Man's best friend

Angle killing a poor little dragon >

< Education like nun other.

My friend Anthony again                       >

I thought one of the stain glass pices here was really unique and I fell in love with the tile work on the floor. 

 







I headed back to the square because I saw a poster saying that today was Carnival day!  What lucky timing.  On my way back I found a guy selling ice cream.  So I handed over 2 euros and he gave me this wonderful pistachio chocolate delight.

 

 

Little moo cow kids!  So cute.

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