Vienne (86) and Deux-Sèvres (79)

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! Standing in the nave, facing east to the choir. The two chapels of the transept can be partly seen from this pov.

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! All pillars of the crossing have carved capitals. This one is decorated with two mermaids. Most mermaids seen in the Poitou are members of the more corpulent species, compared to the skinny cousins, found in the Auvergne. In case, the ladies in the bathtubes, seen on the western facade of this church, refer to Mélusine, the legendary water nymph, connected to the local House of Lusignan, these mermaids (and maybe all in the Poitou) will reflect this tale as well. The word SERENA is carved between the maids.

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! All pillars of the crossing have carved capitals. This one is decorated with two winged hybrid creatures, havig a goat´s top and a snake´s bottom. CAPRICORNIUS is written up there, so they are "sea goats" (half goat/half fish) - a zodiac sign. Or - (again!) they refer (a bit) to the Mélusine tale, like the ladies in the bathtubes and the mermaids may. This legendary water nymph, was a woman, who was a serpent or fish from the waist down (what was found out by her husband, seeing her in a bathtube).

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup! All pillars of the crossing have carved capitals. This one is decorated with two lions, LEONES is written up there. They can probably be seen, just like the capricorns (see previous upload), as a zodiac sign.

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. During the Wars of Religion the priory got ransacked and the monks had to leave. The church did survive comparably undamaged, but the entrance to the chapter house, seen here, is all what is left of the priory´s cloister. The arches were hidden in the stonewalls, but discovered in 1928. The church and the remaining buildings are all privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup!

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences. During the Wars of Religion the priory got ransacked and the monks had to leave. The church did survive comparably undamaged. The apse of Saint-Pierre and the wonderful octogonal crossing tower.

Gourgé, a small village (pop. 950) 12 kms northeast of Parthenay, has a nice parish church. It is dedicated to Saint-Hilaire. According to the information given in Gourgé, the erection of the church started already within the 9th century in pre-Romanesque, Carolingian style. The Romanesque nave is clearly younger, the transept was added within the 19th century. The coats of arms of the local Seigneurs decorate the pillars of the nave. Some of the pillars have capitals with very basic carvings.

Gourgé, a small village (pop. 950) 12 kms northeast of Parthenay, has a nice parish church. It is dedicated to Saint-Hilaire. According to the information given in Gourgé, the erection of the church started already within the 9th century in pre-Romanesque, Carolingian style. The Romanesque nave is clearly younger, the transept was added within the 19th century. Some of the pillars here have capitals with very basic carvings. Here is one. The large head of a tongue protruder and a small angel, both with jug ears.

Gourgé, a small village (pop. 950) 12 kms northeast of Parthenay, has a nice parish church. It is dedicated to Saint-Hilaire. According to the information given in Gourgé, the erection of the church started already within the 9th century in pre-Romanesque, Carolingian style. The Romanesque nave is clearly younger, the transept was added within the 19th century. Some of the pillars here have capitals with very basic carvings, that got outlined in red. Two small dogs lick the ears of their master. Or are they whispering?

Gourgé, a small village (pop. 950) 12 kms northeast of Parthenay, has a nice parish church. It is dedicated to Saint-Hilaire. According to the information given in Gourgé, the erection of the church started already within the 9th century in pre-Romanesque, Carolingian style. The Romanesque nave is clearly younger, the transept was added within the 19th century. Some of the pillars here have capitals with very basic carvings, that got outlined in red. A large smiling dog accompanies the two small pets.

Saint-Pierre was the church of one of the largest Augustinian abbeys in the Poitou, that was founded in 991 by Audéarde, the wife of viscount Herbert I of Thouars. The monastery was on one of the "chemins" of the Via Turonensis, so when the number of pilgrims increased, the Canons Regular of St. Augustine had this large church erected in two construction phases from the 12th century on. The western facade and the narthex are the youngest parts of the structure. When the era of the pilgrimage ended, the abbey declined and impoverished during the Hundred Years' War. Most conventual buildings were destroyed in the Wars of Religion. The abbey church now serves the parish. The very damaged horseman, probably vandalized during the French Revolution. Horsemen can often be found in the Poitou-Charente (eg. Melle, Benet, Surgères, Parthenay). It is widely believed that these equestrian sculptures depict Constantine the Great trampling down heathenism. In Southern France and Spain, St. James/St. Jaques is often seen in that pose, supporting the reconquista as "matamoro".

Saint-Pierre was the church of one of the largest Augustinian abbeys in the Poitou, that was founded in 991 by Audéarde, the wife of viscount Herbert I of Thouars. The monastery was on one of the "chemins" of the Via Turonensis, so when the number of pilgrims increased, the Canons Regular of St. Augustine had this large church erected in two construction phases from the 12th century on. The western facade and the narthex are the youngest parts of the structure. The facade follows the "blueprint" of many churches, that line the Via Turonensis in the Poitou Charente, with the central portal and the blind arches. There is even the horseman on the left, just like in Melle, Benet, Surgères and Parthenay. When the era of the pilgrimage ended, the abbey declined and impoverished during the Hundred Years' War. Most conventual buildings were destroyed in the Wars of Religion. The abbey church now serves the parish.

Saint-Pierre was the church of one of the largest Augustinian abbeys in the Poitou, that was founded in 991 by Audéarde, the wife of viscount Herbert I of Thouars. The monastery was on one of the "chemins" of the Via Turonensis, so when the number of pilgrims increased, the Canons Regular of St. Augustine had this large church erected in two construction phases from the 12th century on. The western facade and the narthex are the youngest parts of the structure. When the era of the pilgrimage ended, the abbey declined and impoverished during the Hundred Years' War. Most conventual buildings were destroyed in the Wars of Religion. The abbey church now serves the parish. Approaching the facade, that follows the "blueprint" of many churches, that line the Via Turonensis in the Poitou Charente, with the central portal and the blind arches. But the facade here seems to be reconstructed and remodeled over the time, as it is not that symmetrical, as most of these portals are. On the left is a heavily damaged horseman, just like in Melle, Benet, Surgères and Parthenay.

Thouars was an Aquitanien fortress, placed in a loop of the river Thouet. It was conquered and burnt down in 762 down by Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, who was accompanied by his 14 years old son, the future Charlemagne. In medieval times, the town prospered, and in the 12th century a large basilica-style church named "Saint-Médard-des-Champs" was erected just outside the city walls. Today this church is in the center of the town, that once was a stronghold of the Huguenots. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) Thouars lost about half of its population, as most of the Huguenots migrated. The facade of Saint-Médard is an example of the late Romanesque "style poitevin", the rose-window was added within the 15th century, when the bell tower was erected. It got "heavily" renovated during the 19th century.

Thouars was an Aquitanien fortress, placed in a loop of the river Thouet. It was conquered and burnt down in 762 down by Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, who was accompanied by his 14 years old son, the future Charlemagne. In medieval times, the town prospered, and in the 12th century a large basilica-style church named "Saint-Médard-des-Champs" was erected just outside the city walls. Today this church is in the center of the town, that once was a stronghold of the Huguenots. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) Thouars lost about half of its population, as most of the Huguenots migrated. The facade of Saint-Médard is created in the late Romanesque "style poitevin", the rose-window was added within the 15th century, when the bell tower was erected. The facade got "heavily" renovated during the 1870s. Most of the archivolts are a result of that work. Above the entrance door are large statues of Christ, flanked by angels. To the sides apostles and prophets. The design seems like a prototype of the The "gallery of the kings", often seen on Gothic cathedrals (eg Reims Cathedral, Notre-Dame de Paris )

Thouars was an Aquitanien fortress, placed in a loop of the river Thouet. It was conquered and burnt down in 762 down by Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, who was accompanied by his 14 years old son, the future Charlemagne. In medieval times, the town prospered, and in the 12th century a large basilica-style church named "Saint-Médard-des-Champs" was erected just outside the city walls. Today this church is in the center of the town, that once was a stronghold of the Huguenots. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) Thouars lost about half of its population, as most of the Huguenots migrated. The facade of Saint-Médard is created in the late Romanesque "style poitevin". The facade got "heavily" renovated during the 1870s. Most of the archivolts and the corbels, seen here, are a result of that work. Above the entrance door are large statues of Christ, flanked by angels, that are weathered and/or vandalized. The design seems like a prototype of the The "gallery of the kings", often seen on Gothic cathedrals (eg Reims Cathedral, Notre-Dame de Paris).

Thouars was an Aquitanien fortress, placed in a loop of the river Thouet. It was conquered and burnt down in 762 down by Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, who was accompanied by his 14 years old son, the future Charlemagne. In medieval times, the town prospered, and in the 12th century a large basilica-style church named "Saint-Médard-des-Champs" was erected just outside the city walls. Today this church is in the center of the town, that once was a stronghold of the Huguenots. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) Thouars lost about half of its population, as most of the Huguenots migrated. The facade of Saint-Médard is created in the late Romanesque "style poitevin". The facade got "heavily" renovated during the 1870s. Here are two of the facade´s capitals. The the left is a musician accompanied by devils, probably standing for profane (sinful) music. To the right a man, being caught by the ears by a bird and a dragon. I doubt, that these carvings date back to the 12th century. They are so smooth, mint and complete, compared to other parts of the facade. I have the impression that they were added during the renovation end of the 19th century.

Thouars was an Aquitanien fortress, placed in a loop of the river Thouet. It was conquered and burnt down in 762 down by Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, who was accompanied by his 14 years old son, the future Charlemagne. A monastery was founded at this place in 1021. It was centered around relics of the popular Saint Lô (aka "Laud de Coutances"). The pilgrimage to these relics outgrew the early buildings soon and so a large church (and a bridge over the Thouet) got built during the first half of the 12th century. The massive Romanesque bell-tower seen here dates back to that church. A younger gothic bell tower, that existed as well, collapsed in 1711. The church get rebuilt, reconstructed, renovated many times. In a little chapel is the grave of unfortunate Margaret Stewart, Dauphine of France. To establish a diplomatic alliance during the 100 Year´s War, the daughter of James I of Scotland, was married to Louis XI of France (aka "The Prudent") at the age 11. Louis was 14 years old. He never liked her, she was mobbed by the French royal court and died, totally depressed, in 1445.