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Our journey took us from Beynac to the tiny village of Couhe about 48 kms from Poitiers. The road Sally Sat Nav chose was winding , simply beautiful with grass verges full of tiny flowers. The villages we drove through were pretty. Yellow sandstone with gardens full of colour. The boulangeries and charcuteries open for business. The sun shone on us as we headed for our overnight stop.
We passed few cars along the way. The winding road was fairly empty. Occaisionally one came on the opposite carriageway and then one passed us. There seemed little traffic on the road and for this we were grateful. Driving as it should be. At one point we saw a red sports car settling in behind us. Was it a Ferrari we wondered? Or an Audi TT? It overtook and it was a shiny little red corvette which then disappeared into the distance leaving us in Suzy to meader along at a slower pace of life. France does that to you.
We arrived at our campsite and registered in. 15 euros 10 cents with tourist tax at an ACSI rate. The owner welcomed us and showed us a map of the site
and told us to park anywhere on hard standing. Grass was for caravans only. Showers all open, one of the two swimming pools open for business, bread available freshly baked at 8.
A stream ran through the campsite and part was damned to form a pretty lake. Over the winter some of the plots near the stream were waterlogged so were cordoned off. We drove by and parked up on a neat plot with an area of hardstanding for Suzy and grass for our chairs. There was a restaurant/bar on site but yet again closed as it was the low season.
I walked around the lake and found an old bridge, a duck nesting on her young and heard some very noisy creatures but did not see them.
As we sat over a wine we pondered on the universal question - motorhome or caravan? It come us every holiday. We parked close to some Dutch motorhomers who waved to us and next to a FRench motorhome who ignored us. Some you win. Some you lose. A Dutch caravaner turned up and took 30 mins to park up. Position checked and rechecked - it took so long before
they got their chairs out and relaxed. 1 -0 in favour of motorhome. More discussion on the ease of having a car - OK that's true but then motorhomer number 2 turned up and he and his wife took almost an hour to settle in . Arguement over Motorhome wins hands down.
We had a quiet night until 11 when the noises we had heard became clear. The Frogs started mating. Now - stop it - dont do a Frankie Howerd on me. Frogs little green things that go croak . The little green blighters made the loudest noises I have ever heard. I wasnt sure if the males were making the mating noises trying to impress the females or if they were actually in the act. Whatever it was they kept us awake for hours. Even hiding our heads under the duvet we could still hear them.
Eventually sleep followed as did the morning and I picked up the fresh bread before we headed off for Futuroscope. After much research we found that it was possible to park up Suzy on a special aire in the park for 3 euros overnight and 7 euros a day. A
bus ran from the park into the centre ville. That was the plan then.
The roads were fairly empty at 9 and we trundled along. The landscape British in every way. In some ways it was getting boring. Green field after green field. Funny how I miss the colours of the Spanish hot landscape now.
We parked up, picked up a ticket and then tried to find the bus stop. Easier said than done. Everyone was heading to Futuroscope and we were the only ones trying to get away from it. No bus stop was evident so I called into the ticket office where you pay for car parking. In front of me was a couple with a dog, a bowl and some dog food. I later found out that as well as paying for your car parking ticket you could put your dog in a kennel whilst you enjoyed the park. I was told that the bus station was over there. Over there didnt mean much but we headed in the general direction, found a bus stop with the right numbers on it and waited . Nothing happened so at this point its a choice . Give
up again or walk to Futuroscope and see if there is a taxi rank., Taxi rank it was. However when we got there we found nothing only buses which did a circuit of the hotels picking up guests and bringing them to the park. In desperation I called in to the information and got them to order me a taxi which duly turned up 15 minutes later and whisked us the 10 kms to Poitiers.
I watched as the meter ticked 10 cents over every few yards and by the time we got into town we owed 22 euros 10 cents. It was worth it as our lovely taxi driver took us to the heart of the city and dropped us off right in front of the cathedral. Poitiers is a city on the Claine river and part of the Vienne region. Not a large city it is one you can walk round and take in the major sites very quickly. The main square in front of the cathedral was busy with a small bustling market, the usual beggars with their begging plastic cups and an accordian player who treated us to typical french music. A treat whilst we
sat and drank coffee. We didnt have a cake this time but I did spend time savouring the wonderful collection of patisserie in the shop next door. The display left me drooling and the queues grew as the townspeople waited to buy their fresh bread and croissants.
After our coffee stop we walked over to the cathedral. A stunning building with a wonderful facade. A little dumpy and unlike any of the churches we had seen recently. No steeple or belltower it reminded me of the churches in Pisa and Lucca. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Poitiers. Its construction began in 1162 by Henry II of England and Eleanor of Acquitaine on the ruins of what was an ancient roman basilica. Work was well advanced by the end of the 12th century. It is built in both the Romanesque and Early Gothic styles, very dark inside and we only got a peep as a mass was going on and we felt that we would be intruding. However we planned to return after having a look around the rest of the city.
Our next stop the palace however this was closed. We found what looked like
an entry but this had not been used for some time. The other side of it was the Palais du Justice and perhaps you could get in this way on a weekday. We had to give up and this was one of the disappointments of making the effort.
So it was back to the cathedral . Inside it is made up of three naves and has a length of 308 foot. The interior is dark and gloomy splendour. The pillars were all painted in red and blue. When they were first done they must have been stunning but over time had become rather muted. They did however give you a clue what a medieval church must have looked like before it was baroqued and spoilt. The stain glass was original from the 12th and 13th hoir and the transepts preserve their stained glass of the 12th and 13th centuries; the end window, which is certainly the first in the order of time, contains the figures of Henry II and Eleanor. The choir stalls, carved between 1235 and 1257, are among the oldest in France.
OK did we get the cakes? . Yes we did. I stood outside the window of the patisserie and marvelled at the art of the pastrymaker and cake maker. We have lost this art at home. What to buy? First of all I looked at a large pastry case full to the brim with cream and raspberries but decided to buy small cakes instead. The first a perfectly cut and cooked pastry case filled with cream and crammed with raspberries. A sprinkling of icing sugar and a tasteful selection of red currants. The second cake a slice starting with a sponge on the bottom similar to a trifle sponge. Moist it tasted as if just dipped gently into sherry and pulled out before it became soggy. On top a layer of thick cream stiff enough to hold up a spoon. The cream wrapped around strawberries sticky and sweet. On that another layer of moist cream and a thin layer of marzipan. To finish off three blobs of chocolate on top of which was placed a single raspberry, a single strawberry and single pistachio.
Did we enjoy them? Yes we did. The cost nearly 17 euros as much as I would spend on a days shopping. Were they worth it? Most definately. And I will miss them very much when I return home.
We found the bus stop to come home to Suzy and paid 1 euro 30 each to get back. A big difference from our journey in .
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taracloud
Tara Cloud
Yummy blog!
I love Poitiers, its fabulous Romanesque cathedral and French pastries. You did them all justice and brought back great memories--thanks! Glad you found the bus stop!