Perouges

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Day 5 Part II

Our second tour of the day was an hour bus trip to the medieval town of Perouges. Walking up the cobbled street and entering through the arched gateway was like stepping back in time. I expected to see knights in shining armor and women washing clothing at the well in the center. The town sits high on a hill with spectacular views of the French alps and is built of boulders and stones. Perouges played a big part in the development of commerce in the area. Travelers would stop here over night on their way to the much bigger town of Lyon. Our guide Christopher brought us into the hundreds of years old church and as his voice echoed against the walls he walked us through the incredible history of this town and the agriculture around it. His explanations were so vivid it was easy to picture a traveler and his horse, both exhausted from several days ride reaching this town for a rest. The Gothic style church still smells of smoke from the fires burned to keep the room warm. The outer church walls were part of the city's fortification and the stained glasses windows were very narrow and tall. The reason for the size of the windows was to ensure that marauders were unable to access the city through any openings. Again there is so much to learn, but I will let the photos whet your appetite for the history of this charming medieval town.

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