Friday 6 Sept 2024
We had an earlier than usual start today because we were going further than we had the previous days – beyond Saumur to the Royal Abbey at Fontevraude and hopefully some other sights as well. We do take the more direct tourist route along the top of the dyke alongside the Loire so it is not too long a journey, despite a rather more scenic than expected route at the end (thanks to our unhelpful GPS system).
Along the way we saw more little villages, some close to the river but down behind the dyke so they would have no view of the river at all (but would be well protected from floods). There are some very grand houses that definitely had good views. On the other side of the river we see the Tower of Trèves that has a commanding position over the river and has been much fought over through history. The tower is the old keep of the castle built by Robert Le Maçon in the 15th century on the foundations of an earlier motte castle. Baron of Trèves, Robert Le Maçon was chancellor of King Charles VI and comrade-in-arms of Joan of Arc. The castle was extensively remodelled in the 18th century and only the tower was preserved (and classified as a Historic Monument since 1904).
-
- Loire River
-
- Very grand house on banks of Loire River
-
- Tower of Trèves
We learnt our lesson from the previous couple of days and decided to get some lunch before we explored the Abbey. We had a very nice Rillaud Salad at a little bistro nearby. Rillauds are a culinary speciality from Anjou: pieces of pork belly that are left to soak in salty, herby brine before being cooked in lard. They are eaten warm or cold, and go very well in a nice green salad.
Fontevraud Royal Abbey
The Abbey was founded in 1101 by to house a community of men and women. It housed up to 700 people and soon became Europe’s biggest community of contemplative nuns. Throughout the Abbey’s history it developed and grew due to the protection and generosity of royal and aristocratic families. In the 12th century, Eleanor of Aquitaine made Fontevraud the necropolis for kings and queens of England.
Eleanor of Aquitaine was Duchess of Aquitaine from 1137 to 1204, Queen of France from 1137 to 1152 as the wife of King Louis VII, and Queen of England from 1154 to 1189 as the wife of King Henry II. As the heiress of the House of Poitiers, which controlled much of southwestern France, she was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. She bore a total of 10 children and withdrew to Fontevraud at the age of 80 while still holding the reins of power. She is buried in the Abbey.
The French Revolution put an end to 700 years of monastic life and the influence of Fontevraud. The buildings became the property of the State and, on the orders of Napoleon, were converted into a prison (in use until 1963). At the time, labour was considered to be one of the pillars of redemption, so the prison also served as a vast factory.
I was disappointed that so many of the original features of the Abbey buildings had been destroyed while it served as a prison, as much remodelling was conducted to house the increasing number of prisoners. There appears to be considerable work under way now on restoration. But it was a very impressive site that oozed grandeur even without the furnishings and decoration that would have been there in its prime.
Turquant
Turquant is a little village not far from Fontevraud that is famous for its row of trogolodyte or cave house in the hillside above the vineyards. These houses are now used by a vast array of different artists making it a fascinating place to explore. There were certainly lots of cyclists when we were there.
Vineyards and troglodytic houses at Turquant (by Tango7174)
Chateau de Brézé
This privately-owned castle was constructed between the 11th and 19th centuries in the heart of a large vineyard. It belonged to the powerful Dreux-Brézé family before it passed by marriage to the Colbert family, descendants of Louis XIV’s Minister. The castle of Brézé is considered to be the largest underground fortress in Europe. It has dry moats 18m deep and 10m wide unrivalled in Europe but its uniqueness comes from the 4km of tunnels and cavities dug out of the tuffeau rock under the castle (probably to escape Viking invasions), that include living spaces, a bakery, storage areas and livestock areas.
We were late arriving back into Angers – just as a torrential downpour had people scurrying as fast as they could to find shelter. We were relieved to find parking in our customary free area and picked up some things from the delicatessen for our dinner. We were both exhausted so it was an early night.
Exploring the Angers Region in France
Day 3: Chateau d’Angers and Historic Quarter
Day 4: Exploring the Loire Valley to Cunault Abbey
Day 5: Troglodyte Village & the Mysteries of Falun
Day 6: Fontevraud Royal Abbey & Chateau du Brézé
Days 7-9: Angers, Markets & Old Town
Day 10: Troglodyte Restaurant & Medicinal Plants
Day 11: Béhaurd Island Village in Loire River
Day 12: Michelin-star Restaurant Degustation Lunch, Angers
Day 13: Day 13: Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park
Day 14: Le Thoureil, Ackerman Winery & Dolmen de Bagneaux
Day 15: Visit to Slate Museum, Trélazé
Leave a Reply