Medieval Cities and Castles

Sarlat at night

Yesterday, I was in Sarlat, tonight in Carennac. Days so full, with so many new places visited, so much history ... I hardly know what to write. Perhaps I will make some posts mostly of pictures, hoping to actually write something with more text after returning home.

I will tell you a few things, the first of which will make some people who know me well laugh, copy down the next four words, and date it. It has been hot. Actually hot, not warm. I see temperatures in the mid- to upper-90s in the shade. No idea what it is in the sun. But I do know that riding on asphalt in the sun has been hot in the afternoon. Very hot. Remind me sometime cold.

Sarlat-le-Caneda is an extremely well-preserved 14th century city, (now surrounded by a modern city) preserved in part through being ignored and neglected, and then through the efforts of the great André Malraux. I was there only in the morning and evening, during the day I was exploring the surrounding countryside on Papillon. Here are some photos of Sarlat.

Next to the church. I never did get inside.

One of the views out my window

The other direction from my window.

The angled structures of old churches are fascinating, but distorted by my camera angle

Typical narrow street

I rode to Beynac-et-Cazenac to visit the castle where Richard 1st (whom Shakespeare made famous as Richard the Lionhearted,) son of Aliénor of Aquitaine, lived sometimes. Built in the 12th century, and occupied at least intermittently for about 600, maybe more, years, the castle is high on a cliff over the Dordogne; the cliffs provide good protection on that side.  Since I worked for a brief period as a tapestry weaver, it was particularly thrilling to see so many tapestries in situ.

Beynac-et-Cazenac

Grounds inside the castle fortifications; no wall needed on the steep side.

Medieval furniture and tapestries

What a staircase

And another stairs

Kitchen and dining tables, weapons at the ready

Nowadays the Dordogne offers respite to smart visitors and residents alike. The first photo gives you some idea of how popular canoeing is here. If you look carefully, you will see canoes piled up in the background.

A boatfull of tourists on the Dordogne

View from the castle wall. The Dordogne was the border between the French and English during the 100 Years War

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Two Abbey Churches

A small part of a large flock of geese, which I heard before seeing them. 
They were at a farm between Les Eyzies and St. Amand de Coly.

This is the land of foie gras and rich food. Also of painted caves and churches. Medieval history. Castles. The border between the French and the English was here during the 100 years war, and castles face each other across the rivers. Little roads. Good, rolling scenery. Lots, but lots, of visitors. I visited these two churches over two days, one during a day ride from Les Eyzies, the other on my way to Sarlat.

Two abbatial churches. The first in Cadouin, south of Les Eyzies, the other north in St. Amand de Coly. The first, Cadouin, was Cistercian, the second Augustinian. Both date from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Aliénor of Aquitaine is known to have visited both abbey, and I determined to visit them after learning that tidbit. She was, famously, the wife first of the King of France, then of the King of England, and mother of Richard the Lionhearted. To add to that, she was educated, brilliant, politically astute, powerful, headstrong and beautiful, in an age that few women could claim all those things. The notion of following  something of her path in France was the instigation of this trip. That changed, because I won't get to the Loire this trip, but still... if she was there, I want a look.

Pause, pause....a break from writing.

OK, I admit it.  I am now in my room in Sarlat, having gotten behind in my writing and not yet posted either about yesterday's ride to Cadouin or today'sride here, via St. Amand de Coly. Plus, while reporting on those two rides, I was totally distracted by activity outside. Hence the pause. Here in Sarlat, an extremely well preserved medieval city, I am staying in a b+b (actually more like a small hotel) on the main square. Writing this, I could hear crowds laughing, clapping outside, so ... out I went and joined them, watching jugglers, gymnasts, magicians, street theatre ... very fun. It got very late. I got tired.

And so now, I will leave you for this evening with only photos. First, Cadouin. To me the cloister was far more interesting than the church. The abbey dormitory is now used as a youth hostel.

Hanging keystone showing a courtesan on Aristotle's back

The four walls of the cloisters, built in different eras, illustrate changing church architecture.
These are gothic and romanesque

The cloisters at Cadouin

Then St. Amand de Coly, where I stopped on my route to Sarlat today. About the ride I'll tell you only that it was very hot. St. Amand de Coly was a great stop, out of my way, and I was very glad to visit there.

The entrance to the church, from across the square

The color of this church was impossible to capture, veering either to too pink or too grey.

Easy to imagine a large abbey here, supporting and administering the town around it. 

If jongleurs, jesters, troubadors, etc, who were famously present in Aliénor's courts were not in the abbeys, they certainly were not far away. Whatever is happening out there right now in Sarlat is to the sound of  Leonard Bernstein's Carmina Burana.


View Les Eyzies to Sarlat in a larger map

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