Out and About from La Barre - France Pt.3

Now for a little 'out and about' again in rural France. There are very few photos as I was not a blogger at the time of these visits (2002) and I was getting used to my new digital camera, taking many of my pictures with my old 'instant'.

Here we are visiting the Chateau Touffou with it's two 12th century Keeps and it's four Round Towers linked in the 16th century by the Renaissance building. The gardens are a mixture of French and English.

The English style garden

Here we are visiting Chauvigny, the walled upper part of the town set on the hillside. Full of history. Theseignory and consequently barony of Chauvigny belonged to the bishops of Poitiers from the 11th century - a chauvinois family provided Poitiers with 3 bishops at this date - up until the French Revolution of 1789. During the hundred years war the French King, John II, stayed in Chauvigny on the eve of his ill-fated battle of Poitiers-Maupertius against Edward II, the Black Prince, in 1356.

Captured and laid in ashes by the English in 1369, Chauvigny was liberated by Duguesclin but was re-taken by the Duke of Clarence in 1412. Recaptured by the French 15 years later, the Scottish mercenaries of Charles VII were entrusted with the protection of the half-ruined baronnial chateau. Hostilities resumed with the advent of the French wars of religion, when the baronial chateau - became a Hueguenot stronghold - was siezed firstly by the king, then by Coligny, who had it burnt in 1569. World War II also created ruins here as it was shelled by the retreating German armies in 1944.

I wonder how many photographs of this ancient town would be in my possession if I went back today. Sorry I can only show you 1 here. We found an amazing English style tea shop in the lower town selling just about every kind of tea one could think of with every tea having it's own individual drawer. That would certainly be on my list as a blogger!

And here, the centre of Poitiers, a town with 2000 years of history and the best Morroccan restaurant where we had the most delicious chicken with chickpeas and couscous. What else in a genuine Morroccan eating place.

And here the Chateau Royal in Blois, visited during a stop-over on our way home. During more than 4 centuries, a succession of Kings and Queens of France made their royal residence one of the great masterpieces of French architecture. Lois XII rebuilt this chateau, blending the late Gothic style with Italian art

Note the famous staircase tower built by Francois 1st. I cannot imagine having to use an outside staircase when moving between floors. One of the Rothschilds mansions in England has these staircases but they were sensible enough to glass them in!

Do stay tuned for one more post on this trip but it will be locally at La Barre, where we were staying this time.