August 2024 – DJmotortouring

Poix de Picardie (Hauts de France), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

And so to Poix de Picardie in the Somme Department of Hauts de France. We elected to stop in Poix de Picardie (almost half way between Pont-Audemer and Calais) because it has a town centre campsite and we hoped to find a bar in the town where we could watch England’s next game (against Slovakia) in the European Championships. It took us about 1.45 hours to complete the drive to Poix.

I should have known better. I had forgotten it was a Sunday and Poix de Picardie, in common with the rest of France, was closed. I checked all around the town but nothing was open. Indeed, I barely saw anyone out and about. We’d have to watch the football match on Vanya’s Ipad back at the campsite.

There’s not much to the town. The large town square (Place de la Republique) has a couple of bars and a sizeable hotel-restaurant (Le Cardinal) but, as mentioned before, everything was closed.

*The War Memorial on Place de la Republic…*

The town’s most interesting feature is, without any doubt, it’s 16th century church (L’Eglise Saint Denis). There was an earlier church on the same site but it was burned, along with the rest of the town, by Edward III’s army just days before the Battle of Crecy (1346). The church was subsequently rebuilt but then destroyed again in 1472 by Charles the Bold.

The existing 16th century church suffered damage early in the 18th century from floods and fire and again towards the end of that century (during the French Revolution) when it was turned first into a warehouse and then a stable. Early in World War II it escaped serious damage when much of the town was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe.

Talking of WWII, there is a Commonwealth War Graves plot outside the west door of the church. It holds the bodies of 149 allied aircrew who crashed or were shot down in the area during the war and there is a memorial commemorating a further 4 pilots whose remains have not been found. It is sobering to see how young so many of the airmen were when they were killed.

Well that’s it. Tour 9 has come to an end. Next stop Calais and the ferry back to England. We hope to be back early in September. Fingers crossed.

Footnote: In case you are interested, England scored two goals against Slovakia during injury time (after being a goal down for much of the match). They are through to the next round but they will have to play much better to win this competition. Don’t hold your breath.

Pont-Audemer (Normandy), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

It took no more than an hour or so to drive south from Yport to the small town of Pont-Audemer and the Belle Isle sur Risle Chateau Hotel & Spa.

Vanya had booked us into the hotel for my birthday and, having been told to do nothing other than relax during our stay, I decided against taking anything other than a very short walk around the town. I cannot therefore tell you much about the place. I know it dates back to the 8th century when it was known as Duos Pontes (Two Bridges) and that it suffered horribly during the 100 Years War (but didn’t just about everywhere in the north of France?). I know too that the town reached it’s heydey during the 18th century, after an influx of English artisans helped revolutionise the local tanning and papermaking industries but; both of those industries have long since failed and the town is now trying to reinvent itself on the back of tourism. I learned all that from ‘plusbeauxdetours.com’.

Parts of Pont-Audemer are very picturesque; especially down by the canals where there is a mix of half timbered houses and some elegant town houses but; during my admittedly short walk I saw little else of interest and there is considerable competition in the tourism sector. Pont-Audemer will not find it an easy sector in which to establish itself.

Having said that, the very welcoming Belle Isle sur Risle Chateau Hotel & Spa attracted us to the town and could quite easily do so again. It proved a very relaxing hotel, reasonably well placed for travel around Normandy and it has a first rate restaurant.

The town rather grandly describes itself as the Venice of Normandy (which really does stretch the imagination) but, in keeping with that portrayal, the hotel is built on an island in the middle of the River Risle. It sits in 5 acres of mature woods and the gardens are quite beautiful. They were planned by the celebrated 19th century horticulteralist, landscape architect and Andean adventurer, Edouard Andre, who designed city parks all around the world, including such places as Monte Carlo, Montevideo, Paris (Les Tuileries) and Liverpool (Sefton Park).

The hotel itself comprises the main building (built in 1856) and a remodelled orangery which together contain 28 rooms and/or suites. We were given a large ensuite room in the former orangery which is described in the hotel brochure as being ‘of hushed elegance’. With it’s art deco furniture, thick carpets, floral curtains and luxury bedding, etc, Vanya and I would describe it as being ‘shabby chic’ but we would mean that in a most complimentary way. The hotel is spotlessly clean, very comfortable and wholly calming.

The spa facilities include an outdoor pool, an indoor pleasure pool, two jacuzzis, a hammam (a type of steam bath), a sauna, a massage room and a fitness room. What else do you need? Regrettably, because of my damaged hand (see Yport blog if you have an unhealthy fascination in injury), I was unable to take advantage of any of those particular facilities but Vanya did while I sat and sipped a large gin & tonic and perused the evening’s menu.

*A detail within the beauti*ful *gardens*

To my mind, Gault & Millau (with their “Yellow Guide” and “Nouvelle Cuisine 10 Commandments”) are as much a reference for gastronomy and hospitality in France as Michelin are. I was delighted therefore to see read that the hotel, it’s restaurant and it’s chef are recognised by Gault & Millau.

Our dinner that evening is best described as a total experience. Everything about the event was perfect. The superb food took centre stage but all other aspects of the occasion had clearly been given considerable thought; from the elegant restaurant setting through all aspects of the friendly and attentive service, the exquisite food & wine and the luxurious and yet comforting ambiance. We couldn’t see the resident pianist from our table but, my goodness, he played well.

For food we chose from the recommended 6 course gourmet meal, which without wine cost 76 Euros per head. The hotel’s wine selection was extensive. At first glance it was also very expensive (starting at 15 Euros a glass for the house white and rising to 4,750 Euros for a bottle of 1959 Chateau Petrus) but, there’s no denying the quality. We gave the Chateau Petrus a miss but we didn’t stint on the wine.

The food was in keeping with the aforementioned 10 commandments – home made bread (baked fresh in the hotel); home made duck foie gras; fresh stir-fried scallops & chorizo (served with samphire & a rich potato puree); a homemade Granite de Pommeau (that’s peach/honey flavour with champagne); a cotriade de poisons for Vanya and a Filet de Boeuf Francaise for me (and the meat was the best ever); four fromage Normands and; I finished with a Pineapple Charlotte topped with a raspberry & mango sauce while Vanya finished with a black chocolate palet covered in all sorts. The chef, Armand Malandain, did not disappoint. The meal ranks among our most memorable.

We would like to have stayed on at the hotel but our ferry back to the UK was booked for the next day and I wanted to overnight somewhere closer to Calais. We’d spend one more night in France at Poix de Picardie.

Postscript: Still on the subject of food; you can’t go to Pont-Audemer without tasting the famous Mirliton or Kazoo. It’s a biscuit roll filled with praline cream and closed at both ends with a small chocolate cap. It looks and tastes delightful.

Yport (Normandy), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

We arrived in Fecamp in order that the vet could do the necessary with Nala and Beanie to facilitate their return to the UK. Within an hour of arriving we had parked up, seen the vet, had coffee and a pastry for breakfast and were en route to Yport, stopping at a supermarket for Vanya on the way (Vanya will always find room in the Van for a few more bottles of Cremant). We like Fecamp but it is fast becoming a bitter sweet place to visit since, more often than not, it heralds the end of a tour.

Better news is that we had pre-booked a place at our usual campsite in Yport and, best of all, had secured a table for dinner at our favourite restaurant in the town and one of our favourites in Normandy – Le Nautique.

Dinner was a few hours away and so, after parking up at the campsite, I strolled off into Yport, leaving Vanya to sunbathe. She wants a suntan before Iain’s & Orla’s wedding in August and I wanted some sea air.

Yport has barely changed since we were last there. I say ‘barely’ because I did notice one difference in the church. The votive (model ship) which used to hang over the altar now sits amongst various others along the far side of the church. Isn’t it sad when you notice that kind of detail? Hey, no matter. Yport is a great place to chill.

Yport is also a great place to eat. There aren’t many restaurants or cafes in the town but they are all okay and, if you like fish (especially mussels), Le Nautique is outstanding. They love dogs there and the patron chef went out of his way once again to personally find a table for us in our preferred space at the back of the restaurant and cleared a space for Nala and her wheels. He couldn’t have been more accommodating. The welcome, the service, the food & drink and, most important, the concern he showed throughout our repast made for another unforgettable visit.

Vanya particularly likes the mussels at Le Nautique but we were a little concerned that it would be too early in the season for them. We needn’t have worried. They wouldn’t serve them if they weren’t first class. We do love the Nautique.

The next day saw me down at the beach again but this visit didn’t go too well. Would you believe that skimming stones over the waves nearly cost me a finger? I would never have believe that rock could be so sharp. I threw a piece of flint and as it left my hand it literally ripped open the length of my index finger. It was a wide, deep and long cut and boy did it bleed. I’ll not go into any more detail except to say that I couldn’t get any treatment locally. Yport is a very quiet little town. The only place open that particular afternoon was the tourist information office and the lady there couldn’t contact the local doctor, nor the chemist. Moreover she was frightened to death of blood. Fortunately, I keep a fairly comprehensive medical kit in the Van and I was able to sort things myself.

Enough of that. It was my birthday and we were booked into a quite exceptional little hotel a few miles down the road at Pont Odemeyer.

Chartres (Centre-Val de Loire), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

I don’t know why but we have often passed Chartres on our way through France and not once thought to visit the place. We stopped this time only because the municipal campsite is close to the town centre and on a direct line to our next destination on the English Channel. We’re pleased we did. Chartres is a charming historical city with a majestic medieval cathedral and a very pretty old town down by the River Eure. Add to this that the city operates an absolutely stunning light show every evening (Chartres en Lumiere) and you will understand why we’ll be coming back.

Considering the trials and tribulations the city has endured over the years (I’ll talk a little about that), it’s medieval centre and especially it’s cathedral are incredibly well preserved and a joy to wander.

I followed the banks of the River Eure into the city; the route taking me along narrow cobbled streets and past colourful half timbered houses, medieval wash houses, olde worlde water mills and numerous picturesque humpbacked bridges. It was picture postcard views all the way.

After exploring much of what I shall call ‘downtown’ Chartres, I decided to visit three of the more prominent churches in the city: Eglise Saint Pierre, the Parish Church of Saint Aignan and, of course, the Cathedral Notre Dame de Chartres. It was time to go uptown.

Few if any people would want to follow the route I took to the upper part of the city. Tortuous is an understatement. I couldn’t help it. My excitement with the city was increasing with every step; so much so that I wanted to press on and see more but; every time I glanced back I would see something I had missed and would have to retrace my steps or, all too often, be drawn in yet another direction. It was almost intoxicating.

It took a while but, eventually I managed to collect myself and head straight for the Eglise Saint Pierre without constantly looking back! Chartres is a compact little city and this more direct approach soon saw me reach the church by a route which took me past the Maison du Saumon on Rue de la Poissonerie (now a tourist information office) and the Marche aux Legumes on the Place Billard (where farmer’s markets are held every Wednesday and Saturday). I paused briefly at the tourist information office to obtain details as to the evening’s light and sound show and picked out a restaurant on Place Billard where we could have dinner that evening but, otherwise, I kept moving

The Eglise Saint Pierre (formerly the 7th century Saint Pere en Vallee Abbey and part of a Benedictine monastery) obviously lives in the shadow of the city’s cathedral. Unlike the cathedral, it is in serious need of renovation both inside and out. It started to deteriorate during the French Revolution when the abbey cloister was removed and the monastery’s outbuildings were converted into a cavalry barracks; with the church itself being emptied and used as a saltpetre factory. Steps were subsequently taken to restore the church but time and lack of real investment has taken a heavy toll and it is sad to see a building, once so venerated, in such disrepair.

Little effort seems to have been made to restore the church to it’s former glory and I didn’t take many photos of the outside of the church because, frankly, it looks rather shabby. This was one of those rare occasions when I would have dearly liked to see a church covered in scaffolding (as part of a restoration process).

My final thoughts as I took a last look at the outside of St Pierre’s were that (i) I would have to look inside the building for any remaining majesty the church may have and (ii) the exterior of the church may look better at night when lit up as part of the ‘Chartres en Lumiere’ spectacle. I was to be delighted on both counts. The inside of the church does look equally tatty, with parts of the stonework falling away, but I left the building feeling that whatever it lacks in resplendent majesty is more than compensated for by a dignified simplicity. Oh to see it properly restored…

Less than 5 minutes walk from Eglise Saint Pierre is the Parish Church of Saint Aignan. This was to be my next stop.

This 16th century structure, built on the site of much earlier churches (one of which was standing in 400AD), also lives in the shadow of the cathedral. It is considerably smaller than both the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Chartres and the Eglise Saint Pierre and, whilst not as neglected as the Saint Pierre, it is rather tired. No matter; with it’s painted wooden interior, faded frescos, 16th century stained glass windows (one of which had to be repaired after being hit by an artillery shell during France’s religious wars) and many interesting corners and artefacts, Saint Aignan has real character and is one of the most spiritual and impressive churches I have ever entered. I adore it and when taking photos I sought to capture some of it’s more intriguing aspects.

Clearly, Saint Aignan has experienced it’s fair share of history and no more so than during the French Revolution when a wave of desecrations took place in Chartres. Amongst others, the churches of St Michael, St Hilaire, St Saturnin and St Martin le Viandier were all totally destroyed. Some others, such as the churches of St Andre and Ste Foy, were left mostly in ruins; while others still, including St Aignan, were deconsecrated and their relics desecrated. Saint Aignan was used as a warehouse and then, towards the end of the Napoleonic Wars (in 1814), as a jail to hold Prussian, Russian and Austrian prisoners of war. Finally, it served as a fodder granary until in 1822 it was returned to the city upon condition it be restored as a Catholic church. I’ll say it again, I adore the place. I’ve never been in a church with so much character and atmosphere.

From the Parish Church of Saint Aignan I made my way to the most famous of Chartres’ religious buildings, the UNESCO listed Cathedrale Notre Dame de Chartres. Built between 1190 and 1220 it is a grander version of at least five earlier cathedrals that once stood on this site. It is one of very few cathedrals around the world which remains largely intact from the day it was built. Indeed, most of the stained glass windows date back to when the cathedral was built.

Famed for it’s sheer size and magnificent Gothic architecture, the quality and quantity of it’s sculptures, it’s magnificent blue stained glass windows and a remarkable collection of relics, this most spectacular cathedral was classified as an ‘Outstanding Monument’ at the same time as Mont St Michel, Vezelay Abbey and the Chateau of Versailles. That’s good company to be in.

As I arrived at the cathedral there was a service of sorts underway and so I started with a tour around the outside of the building; admiring the two lofty spires at the front of the building (one in the Gothic style and the other Romanesque) and numerous intricately carved flying buttresses at the rear. Most impressive however are the Cathedral’s three portals which are rich in ornate sculptures featuring old testament prophets, relief scenes of Christ’s life, the apostles and various martyrs, etc. The detail on and around the different entrances is incredible.

As I entered the Cathedral I realised it wasn’t a regular religious service underway but a choir performing some rousing ‘a capella’. To describe the music as exhilarating doesn’t do it justice; it was glorious. The choir was very good but it was bad timing on my part (the performance was being filmed for for television and neither the choir nor the tv producers would want me wandering the church during the performance). I didn’t have the time to sit and enjoy the show and so I restricted myself to simply walking those parts of the church where I wouldn’t prove a distraction. I didn’t get to see anything of the altar and not very much of the cathedral’s abundant stained glass collection. I missed out too on the Sancta Camisa (which is part of the silk tunic which the Virgin Mary supposedly wore when giving birth to Jesus and which is, arguably, the most historic of all the cathedral’s relics). I did however have the ambulatory almost to myself and was able to spend a fair time admiring the splendid stone screen (the rood) which surrounds much of the chancel. It is a stunning mix of statues which had not long been cleaned and so looked brand new.

What sets this cathedral apart from most others in France is how well preserved it is, even after all the deprecations caused during the French Revolution. The contents were plundered early in the revolution and the Sancta Camisa was shredded by the mob (only two small rectangles of silk remain) but, despite the new government ordering that the cathedral be demolished, it survived after a local architect cautioned that the resulting huge pile of rubble would block all of the roads in the city centre for years to come.

The cathedral again escaped destruction in 1944 (during the Second World War) when it was thought by approaching US forces that a mix of German soldiers (artillery range finders and snipers) had esconced themselves in the cathedral spires. A decision was made to reduce the cathedral to rubble but before the bombardment could begin a US Army Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith Jr, who understood the historical significance of the church, offered to enter the cathedral and check the situation for himself. Finding no Germans, he was able to report that the building was empty and the order to destroy the cathedral was rescinded. The cathedral was saved but tragically, the colonel was killed in action later that same day in a village just two miles north of Chartres.

On my back to the Van, I popped in on another impressive and historically significant building which is just behind the cathedral. It is the former Episcopal Palace, largely rebuilt during the 17th and 18th centuries but which hosted the coronation of Henri IV of France (Henri de Navarre) in 1594. It is now a museum (the Musee des Beaux-Arts) and it was holding an exhibition of work by Gerard Rancinan and Caroline Gaudriault; the main feature of which was a monumental photograph called La Deluge (the Flood). It is an impressive piece of work but, for my part, I think the artist has taken one of my favourite paintings, Gericault’s ‘Raft of the Medusa’, as his inspiration.

I returned to Chartres later that evening with Vanya (and our two dogs) and showed her those parts of the town which I believed would most interest her but; we were there primarily to see the light and sound show (Chartres en Lumieres). There was no rush; the show couldn’t begin until dusk at the earliest and we therefore had plenty of time to see the sights and enjoy a bottle of wine at the bar I had earmarked earlier on Place Billard.

We were at the front entrance to the cathedral at 10.45pm, just as Chartres en Lumiere was starting. Earlier, the tourist information office had issued me with a city map and brochure which identifies start and finish times (they vary according to the season) and lists the 21 buildings which are lit up. You can then plan for yourself which elements you want to see (and when) but, it is recommended you be at the front of the cathedral for the start of the event. We intended to do that and then follow the display down through the old town by the River Eure before finishing at L’Eglise Saint Pierre. That would carry us through to well after midnight.

The show was stunning. I took a few photographs which could never do the display justice but, if I’m honest, I wasn’t interested in taking photos. I simply wanted to enjoy the spectacle. The lights and accompanying music showcased the cathedral so perfectly, I was almost spellbound. Vanya, more wisely, took video; some of which I will no doubt include in my video of this tour when I get round to doing it.

*Just one of the small bridges over L’Eure*

We headed back to the Van not long after midnight but the light show was set to continue until about 1am.

Our stay in Chartres was all too short but we had to move on to Normandy. Amongst other things, we needed to get the dogs to our vet in Fecamp for the medical check that would allow them to be readmitted to the UK (and our return ferry was scheduled for early the following week). Before then, we also wanted to return to Yport for dinner at one of our favourite restaurants (Le Nautique) and; in addition to that, Vanya had booked us into a boutique hotel in Pont Audemeyer where we were to celebrate my birthday. Honestly, these tours can on occasion be quite stressful… Lol.

We’ll definitely return to Chartres and, all things being equal, we would stay longer. It’s a beautiful city and I know we didn’t take full advantage of the place. Two things we missed out on are the local cheese (Dreux a la Feuille) and the astonishing Maison Picassiette (built by a certain Raymond Isidore). I’ll not go into detail now. This blog is already long enough but, they’ll be our starting points next time we are in Chartres. Instead, I’ll simply finish with a couple of photos (not mine) so as to provide a taster.