Moving on in South West France

Saturday 6 September

It is really not very far from Condom to St Antonin-Noble-Val where we will be staying for the next week of our trip, but being such a lovely day we had a plan to visit a couple of nice places en route.  We said goodbye to our very charming hosts, Kinza and Richard, and took the road east towards Lectoure.  We did not stop in this hilltop town, but drove on through and admired the enormous fortifications which no doubt once protected the townspeople from marauding armies.  From Lectoure our route took us in a north-easterly direction to the River Garonne which rises in the Pyrenees and flows to the Altlantic Ocean.  It is also part of the river/canal route that links the Atlantic with the Mediterranean.  Along the way I was delighted to find a field of sunflowers still in full bloom even this late in the summer.

Sunflowers!

Our first destination was a Plus Beaux village, Auvillar, which is on a high bluff above the river.  We parked outside the massive portal and walked through the streets which are lined with pinkish-red brick buildings - a most unusual sight in France.  I am guessing that the bricks are made from a similar material to that used in nearby Toulouse, which is known as the Rose City because of the colour of its old brick buildings.  Auvillar is quite enchanting with an attractive round grain halle in the centre of the village and some lovely houses.

Grain halle - Auvillar

  At the edge of the village is an open terrace with far-reaching views across the river and to the countryside of the Tarn-et-Garonne department beyond.

River Garonne, looking north from Auvillar

We had coffee in the courtyard of one of the several art galleries in the village and then found a delightful little shop selling, amongst other things, prints by Perry Taylor, an English artist who is a long time resident and who captures the local life and customs with humour and accuracy.  Couldn't resist purchasing a couple  to take home.  Sometimes a Plus Beaux village does not quite live up to expectations but I have to say that Auvillar is not one of those places.  It is quite unique and has an air of tranquility as well as being very pretty.

Perry Taylor's Mushroom Gatherers

We meandered through the countryside again, the road lined with apple orchards, crossed the river and arrived in Moissac, a larger riverside town which is famous for its abbey.  Rather by good luck than good management we found a handy car park just a few metres from the historical centre.
The large square on which the abbey is located has a number of restaurants and we made a fortunate choice - Le Bistros Gourmand - where we had a table overlooking the abbey, a delicious steak meal and great dining companions - an American couple at the adjoining table who had just arrived in Moissac after walking a leg of the Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostela.  We also had lots of laughs with our English waiter, Tom Barnes, (also Gerri's surname) and admired his fluent French (he grew up in the area - hence the fluency).

Abbey of St Pierre, Moissac and Le Bistros Gourmand

After our great lunch which we managed to extend over a typically French length of time, we had a look inside the church of St Pierre Abbey.  The towering stone walls are all painted in an intricate design of terracotta and yellow which give a warmth that is usually lacking in such ancient buildings.  There are some beautiful items in the church as well including a 12th century carved stone sarcophagus, some painted wooden statues and a highly decorated niche which contains the relics of St Cyprien (2nd century AD).  It is indeed a very fine church.

Beautifully restored painted wood statues inside St Pierre Abbey (painted stone walls behind)

 However the great claim to fame of the town is the UNESCO protected cloisters which are attached to the church.  This is now part of a museum and there is an entry fee.  The cloisters are quite large and dominated by a 250 year old Cedar of Lebanon tree which stands in the grassy square at the centre.  The arches of the cloister are highly decorated in Romanesque style stone carving and the whole thing dates from the 11th and 12th centuries.  Like many of the old buildings of Moissac, the abbey is constructed from rose coloured terracotta bricks.  Today the cloisters are still used for intellectual and cultural pursuits, much as they have been since the 1600's.  A bridal party was having a photo session in the courtyard - what a backdrop for one's wedding snaps!

Cloisters, St Pierre Abbey, Moissac

We spent several hours in Moissac and decided to head directly for our new home in St-Antonin-Noble-Val which is in the department of Tarn-et-Garonne, rather than make any more detours.  It was a quick autoroute journey for most of the way, turning off at Caussade and then descending into the deep gorge of the Aveyron River where this ancient town is situated. St Antonin lies on the northern banks of the river and on the southern side high white cliffs rise high above the town, including the Roc d'Anglars which is a popular rock climbing site.
St Antonin was pretty busy when we arrived and there were lots of people wandering about in medieval costume - something going on here! We managed to locate our house right in the middle of this ancient town with a bit of difficulty and some help from the petanque players in the square just a few metres from our street.
The house is a bit stunning really - a 14th century terrace house on three levels with a courtyard garden within the ruined walls of what used to be an adjacent house.  There is even a small swimming pool.  Inside is all thick stone walls, heft old beams little niches, nooks and crannies.  The owners have done a great job in providing all modern amenities such as steaming hot showers and a dishwasher without destroying the medieval atmosphere of the place.  It took a little while to become accustomed to the smaller, darker rooms after the grandeur of our chateau apartment in Condom but we do like this place equally well.  The bedrooms on the third floor are surprisingly light and airy.
The house, named "Maison Fleuri" featured in the 2001 film Charlotte Gray which starred Cate Blanchet.

Late evening view from my bedroom window, Maison Fleuri, St- Antonin-Noble-Val

 We had treated ourselves to a Bergerac red (gift from our Condom hosts) and some lovely cheese and were thinking about bed when we heard the beating of drums and the playing of pipes.  Intrigued we looked down into the lane in front of the house to see a torch-lit procession of  people in medieval dress.  We were soon out the door and following along through the streets of St Antonin.  From time to time the procession stopped and a bit of a dance took place before continuing to weave its way through the narrow streets of the town.  We were to discover that today was "Celebrate St Antonin Day", an event organised by the Tourist Office which offers lots of activities including a torch-lit tour of the medieval streets after dark.  We returned home via a nightcap in the little bar down the street where we had a long and rather nonsensical conversation in French with a couple of locals who were just a little tipsy.  Lots of fun.

Medieval street procession, St Antonin-Noble-Val