2015 Poitiers - Saintes Walking

Notre-Dame la Grande, a former collegiate church, was completed around 1150. This facade is a masterpiece of Romanesque art. In April 2015 Notre-Dame la Grande marked the end of my walk, that I had started in Paris in 2014 following the "Via Turonensis". Now I was back to continue next morning. Ultreïa!

I left Poitiers in the early morning and about an hour later I had the feeling to be "back on the track".

Around 1130 William X (aka "William the Saint"), Duke of Aquitaine, endowed this place, so that a Cistercian Abbey could be founded here. When William later died from food poisoning, while on a pilgrimage to Santiago, the monks will probably prayed for him. As the abbey was not fortified, it got severely damaged in the first decades of the The Hundred Years' War, but got rebuilt. The abbey prospered, but the Wars of Religion caused another serious setback. Only three monks still lived here, when the French Revolution reached the place.

When I saw the roebuck I stopped breathing and approached very slowly. But somehow he was not interested in me - and showed no fear at all.

Soon the TGV will high speed through the landscape. In 2015 the line was still under construction and caused a long detour as only few bridges over the track exist - far apart.

Inside the Mairie the friendly receptionist printed a "tampon" into my "credencial". I learned, that the exact distance from Coulombiers to Santiago de Compostella is 1352 kms. Good to know!

A small underground stream emerges here from a cave at the base of a cliff. This source was over centuries a mythical, sacred place, guarded by fairies. Maybe the fairies are still around. It may have even a place where Melusine met Raymond.

Approaching Lusignan, former home of the "Maison de Lusignan" ("House of Lusignan" an old noble family deeply rooted in the medieval legends. Prince Raymond of Poitou married Fairy Melusine (we just met both at the fountain). They had ten children - and so founded this dynasty. Actually Melusine was very popular. The House of Plantagenet also claims ancestry from Melusine.

Lusignan was the home of the "Maison de Lusignan" ("House of Lusignan") an old noble family deeply rooted in medieval legends, as Prince Raymond of Poitou married Fairy Melusine. They had ten children - and so founded this dynasty. "Les halles", built in 1853, are impressing 33 meters long and 16 meters wide. They replaced a medieval market hall. Mid 19th century the very most "new" market halls were metal constructions, so this was a very "traditional" structure at that time.

Lusignan was the home of the "Maison de Lusignan" ("House of Lusignan") an old noble family deeply rooted in medieval legends, as once upon a time Prince Raymond of Poitou and Fairy Melusine founded the dynasty. The family resided in a castle, that in medieval times was one of the largest in France. The ruins of the castle got demolished in the 19th century, but this church, founded by Hugh IV, Lord of Lusignan, in 1024 just opposite the castle still exists. The church was completed in the early 12th century, but underwent a number of alterations over the century. It got already seriously damaged during a conflict between the House of Plantagenet and the House of Lusignan in 1168. In 1373, during the 100 Years´ War English troops seized Lusignan, during the siege and the reconquest, the tower - and the vaults collapsed. Already four years later, the damages were repaired.

Lusignan was the home of the "Maison de Lusignan" ("House of Lusignan") an old noble family deeply rooted in medieval legends, as once upon a time Prince Raymond of Poitou and Fairy Melusine founded the dynasty. The family resided in a castle, that in medieval times was one of the largest in France. The ruins of the castle got demolished in the 19th century, but this church, founded by Hugh IV, Lord of Lusignan, in 1024 just opposite the castle still exists. The church was completed in the early 12th century, but underwent a number of alterations over the century. It got already seriously damaged during a conflict between the House of Plantagenet and the House of Lusignan in 1168. In 1373, during the 100 Years´ War English troops seized Lusignan, during the siege and the reconquest, the tower - and the vaults collapsed. Already four years later, the damages were repaired.

Where I saw fresh green in spring were wide stubble fields in July.

Saint-Romain, the parish church of Saint-Sauvant, was erected within the 13th century as a part of a small priory dependent on the abbey in nearby Celles-sur-Belle. The church got enlarged in the 15th century. The place may have had some importance during the 5th century, as a couple of merovingian sarcophagi are near the church. So this may have been a merovingian nekropole.

Early morning heading south. The vast fields on both side of the path are ploughed up already.

Two churches can be found in the center of Vançais side by side. The younger one is the Protestant temple, erected in 1843. I learned here, that the majority of the population (~260) is Protestant.

The second church in the center of the village is much older than the Protestant temple, just seen. It was erected within the 12th century und was used by the Protestant parish after the Revolution until the new temple was completed. At that time Saint Martin was already pretty ruined, soon after parts of the vaulting collapsed, but it got restored from 1860 - 1865 and is in good condition.

The second church in the center of the village is much older than the Protestant temple, just seen. It was erected within the 12th century und was used by the Protestant parish after the Revolution until the new temple was completed. At that time Saint Martin was already pretty ruined, soon after parts of the vaulting collapsed, but it got restored from 1860 - 1865 and is in good condition. Here is the western facade, that has some interesting corbels - and mermaids!

The second church in the center of the village is much older than the Protestant temple, just seen. It was erected within the 12th century und was used by the Protestant parish after the Revolution until the new temple was completed. At that time Saint Martin was already pretty ruined, soon after parts of the vaulting collapsed, but it got restored from 1860 - 1865 and is in good condition. Here is one of two mermaids on Saint Martin´s western facade. She is very weathered, but her hair is still visible - and of course the fish scales. The mermaid is not the elegant vanity-style type, but - in case this is possible - pretty realistic. Is this Melusine? Vançais is only about 20 kms apart from Lusignan, where the legendary fairy Melusine once upon a time married Prince Raymond of Poitou. The couple had ten kids - and so they founded the "Maison de Lusignan" ("House of Lusignan"). "Raymond was not allowed to watch her, when she took a bath, but one day..." tells the legend. Here somebody watches the mermaid from above!