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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.

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

Loches is one of the more picturesque towns in what was once the province of Touraine. You’ll still hear mention of Touraine but the province (along with all the other 33 provinces) was abolished during the French Revolution and incorporated into a series of ‘departments’. Loches is now one of the more picturesque towns in the Indre et Loire Department of the Centre-Val de Loire Region. Doesn’t have quite the same ring, does it?

It is a small town of some 7,000 people on the banks of the River Indre just 25 miles south east of Tours and, in addition to being wholly captivating, it is steeped in history. We decided to stay in the town for two days to properly explore the place and to watch England’s last group stage game of the football (European Championships) against Slovenia. It proved to be one of the more enjoyable stopovers of this tour (but not because of the football although England did make it through to the next round and will play Slovakia next).

Loches is split into two parts; the old medieval town which sits at the top of a natural rocky spur and is full of sloping cobbled streets and imposing buildings and monuments and the modern more fashionable and dynamic lower part of the town with it’s wide open spaces.

I chose to visit the upper town first and made my way from our campsite (La Citadelle) across the Indre and up into the old town via the aptly named Rue Chateau (given that there’s a castle at the top). On the way I paused at the 16th century Maison du Centaure. This Renaissance style building was originally a private residence (named after a relief on it’s facade of Hercules killing the centaur Nesses) but it is now used to house public exhibitions. There’s a permanent exhibition recounting the story of Loches and, while I was visiting, a temporary exhibition (Loches en 1944) to mark the 80th anniversary of France’s liberation during WWII. I wasn’t very impressed with the latter production which, unless I missed something, failed to make any mention of a shocking event concerning George Dubosq who headed the French Resistance in this area at the time. I’ll not go into detail here but, he was a very unsavoury character who was eventually executed by the French government on 14 May 1946. Bit of an oversight not to mention him, don’t you think?

Reproduced below is a photo of the relief after which the Maison du Centaur is named. Nesses had been caught trying to abduct Hercules’ wife, Deianira, and Hercules had hit him with a poisoned arrow. In case you have forgotten your Greek mythology, the centaur died fom the poison but before expiring he convinced Deianira that his blood had magical properties and would serve as a potion to ensure her husband’s future fidelity. In fact, the blood was poisoned by the very venom which Hercules had tipped his arrow with. Later, when Deianira began to have doubts about her husband’s faithfulness and sought to win him back, she bought him a magnificent shirt which she sprinkled with the potion. Hercules gratefully donned the shirt… and the poison took effect. It began to boil him alive. Hercules could not endure the pain and killed himself. A distraught Deianira subsequently hung herself. Greek tragedies, eh?

It took no time to walk from the Maison du Centaure up into the old town and my first port of call, the Collegiate Church of Saint Ursus (Saint Ours in French). This 12th century church dominates the town. All the principal buildings across Loches’ old town are built of the beautiful tufa/tuffeau rock I described in my earlier post on Turquant (Tour 9) and this white rock especially when topped with grey tiles is simply stunning. Equally striking, inside Saint Ursus, is the intricately carved alabaster and marble tomb of Agnes Sorel, a young lady who was a mistress to the French King Charles VII and who, during her all too brief lifetime (she died at just 28 years of age), used her position with such great effect to shape the political and social landscape of France.

*Collegiate Church of Saint Ursus of Loches*

Agnes Sorel joined the Court at just 20 years of age and her outstanding beauty immediately caught the eye of Charles VII. He was captivated by her ; so much so that at age 22 she was declared ‘maitresse en titre’ (the First of the King’s Mistresses). Charles was besotted with her, even going so far as to declare that he would leave his pregnant wife for this new mistress. He showered her with gifts (including the Chateau and Royal Residence at Loches) and; he was all too easily influenced by her, which aggravated many in the court (particularly the Dauphin, Charles’ son, who would became King Louis XI).

Agnes Sorel further provoked the court by introducing fashion trends which, for the time, were quite outrageous. Starting with low necklines and transparent fabrics, she graduated to going bare breasted (a style which others in the court were encouraged to follow). Worse still she wore diamonds in public which was a privilege afforded only to the king in those days.

There are various views as to how Agnes Sorel came to die at such a young age. Initially it was thought she died in childbirth but with increasing frequency it is being suggested she died from poisoning by the Dauphin who had grown to despise her.

*The Great Hall* *in the Royal Residence*

For all it’s size and grandeur (it has been described as an architectural jewel), the Royal Residence in the Chateau complex at Loches has very few rooms but, it has a high place in the history of France. It was the preferred residence of Charles Valois even before he was crowned Charles VII of France and it was in the Great Hall in the Royal Residence of Chateau Loches that Joan of Arc, after raising the siege of Orleans, urged the then Dauphin Charles to enter Reims to be crowned King Charles VII. It would be a long time after this before the 100 Years War was concluded but for many this was the beginning of the end of England’s rule in what is now France. For my part, it felt special (extraordinary even) standing in the Great Hall where Joan of Arc once stood and caused such a celebrated event.

From the Royal Logis I made my way to the most imposing of the buildings in the complex, the 11th century castle keep or donjon, which during the 12th century was occupied and strengthened by Henry II and and his son Richard I (the Lionheart). Later, during the 100 Years War, the donjon and a ‘New Tower’, were converted into a state prison. Indeed, this prison held nobles and senior members of the clergy from late in the 15th century until the 18th century when it was ransacked and partially destroyed during the French Revolution.

I spent hours wandering this part of the castle complex. A touchscreen histopad was provided with the entrance ticket and with the histopad I could visualise each room, cell, underground passage and dungeon as it may have looked when being used as a prison. This was brilliant because it proved as close an experience of being immersed in history as you can get.

It is a lengthy list of nobles who were held in the prison with, perhaps, the most famous being Ludovico Sforza Duke of Milan who died in Loches in 1508. How he died and where he is buried remains unclear but it is thought he was allowed to starve once his usefulness had lapsed and the search for his body in the castle grounds continues to this day.

From the Castle Keep I made my way back through the beautiful cobbled streets of the Medieval quarter to the new part of the town, passing the Lansyer Museum on the way. I didn’t have time to visit the museum which was once home to the 19th century landscape artist Emmanuel Lansyer but, upon his death in 1893, he bequethed the family home, his art collection and thousands of personal objects to the city of Loches and the home itself was later turned into a museum.

In the new part of the town where I hoped to find a restaurant-bar which would be showing the England v Slovenia football match that evening, I passed the Tour Saint Antoine and the Saint Antoine Church. Neither were open to visitors but that allowed me time for a beer or two and, on the corner of Mazerolles Square, I found the perfect place to both enjoy a beer and watch the football later in the day. Bless her, the proprietor agreed to reserve a table for me in front of the widescreen television.

The football match was a disaster. Slovenia are currently ranked 57th best team in the world by FIFA but once again, England failed to deliver with the match ending in a 0-0 draw. Although England have made it through to the first play-off round (the Round of 16) and will meet Slovakia next, they continue to play very poorly.

Notwithstanding the above, we had a pleasant evening in the bar where I had reserved a table. The food (a shared platter) was good and the wine (a bottle of Cremant de Loire for Vanya and a bottle of Chinon Red for me) was excellent and everything was very reasonably priced. Oh, and we got to see Loches at night – and very pretty it is too.

*A shared platter and some very fine local wine.*

Of course, it didn’t end there. Yours truly left his hat at the restaurant and had to return the next day to retrieve it. It worked out very well because the farmer’s market was in full swing as I arrived back in town and the Loches market is considered one of the best in the area with it’s focus being towards a wide range of farm products from all across the old province of Touraine. The produce of bakers, butchers, cheesemakers, fishmongers, florists, market gardeners and, naturally, wine producers were all in evidence. The real discovery for me during this tour however, has been the Chinon red wines and the market provided yet another opportunity to acquire a couple more bottles.

There’s no doubt we’ll be back to this area and not just for the wine. During this visit we didn’t get to see the nearby town of Beaulieu les Loches (with it’s abbey ruins and church of Saint Laurent) nor the famous flower village of Chedigny (with it’s Michelin Guide restaurant of Clos aux Roses). Next time.

Excideuil (Nouvelle Aquitaine), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

A fair drive saw us move from Fanjeaux in the Region of Occitanie to Saint Jory de Chalais in Nouvelle Aquitaine. We went by way of Excideuil. That’s Excideuil near Perigeuex in the Dordogne, not the one in Charente.

Excideuil is a pretty little market town which grew up around a 10th century monastery by the River Loue. There’s little, if anything, remaining of this monastery (the Abbey of Saint Medard) except, the town’s principal church (L’Eglise Saint Thomas) was constructed on the same site and it is likely some aspects of the earlier religious buildings were incorporated into the new church.

Saint Thomas sits on the market square together with a number of other historical buildings, including the Commanderie des Templiers, the adjoining Commanderie de Sant Antonin and a small covered market area which the local farmer’s make use of every Thursday morning. The doors to the church were open and choral music was being piped around the church. The atmosphere inside was quite special – serene.

Nowadays, Excieuil is a small market town of just 1,100 inhabitants but it experienced a period of great prosperity during the late 15th century after King Louis XI exempted it from paying taxes (in recognition of the many times the town was sacked by invading armies during various wars). This favour by the French king, coupled with a burgeoning mining industry, saw the town’s population and wealth increase exponentially.

Now it is an altogether quieter place.

In it’s time Excideuil has witnessed much history and been tested more than most. Leaving aside the town’s Templar connection, there’s a 12th century castle (the Chateau d’Excideuil) on a rise at the edge of the town which has been involved in numerous battles and sieges over the years, particularly during the conflict between Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France (twice the castle had to fight off sieges by Richard although it fell at his third attempt) and again during the 100 years war when the English twice seized the castle from the French. The castle is now owned by the Naudet family who restored it after 300 years of neglect. I wasn’t able to gain entrance to the castle but I understand that part of it is open to the public notwithstanding that it is privately owned.

Fanjeaux (Occitanie), France June 2024 (Tour 9)

This was my second visit to Fanjeaux and Vanya’s first although she didn’t get to see much of this pretty little town. We were in Fanjeaux (just outside at Les Brugues to be precise, parked up on a farm) to catch up with some longstanding friends, Chris & Tessa.

I cooked my Spanish Chicken in the Remoska and we sat by a small carp lake in the warm sunshine eating, drinking and chatting for the best part of 3 hours. We’re five weeks into this tour now and I’m really starting to chill. Sad that we have to head back to the UK.

There was a small art exhibition on the campsite and I reproduce below a couple of photos of exhibits around the lake. Below those are two photos from my previous trip to Fanjeaux (during Tour 2) when the weather was altogether nicer and the sunflowers were in full bloom. No matter we really enjoyed catching up with Chris and Tessa. ‘Til the next time!

The plan now is to make our way north to the English Channel but there’s no rush (France has this effect on me). We’ll overnight at Saint Jory de Chalais and take a look at the pretty market town of Excideuil on the way.

Llanca (Catalonia), Spain June 2024 (Tour 9)

It was an hour’s drive to the small town of Llanca on Spain’s Costa Brava. We were to stay a couple of nights and then cross the border into France to meet some friends who live in the Aude Department of Occitanie.

Together with nearby Cadaques and Roses, Llanca was a tiny fishing village until tourism took over. With 5,000 inhabitants it has doubled in size over the last fifty years but, although it lives in the shadows of Cadaques and Roses, it is a beautiful and picturesque little town with many attractive beaches.

After parking the Van at Camping L’Ombra I set off to Llanca’s old town.

There is little left of Llanca’s erstwhile medieval centre, the town having suffered considerable bombing during the Spanish Civil War but, what remains is concentrated around the Placa Major – that’s the 18th century Parish Church (Parroquia Catolica de Sant Vicenc), the tower of an earlier 14th century church, the remaining tower and some of the walls of the 14th century Abbot’s Castle-Palace (the Torre de l’Homenatge) and the ‘Tree of Liberty’ planted in 1870.

There is also a bar with tables set underneath the huge Plane tree which is the Tree of Liberty and I found time to sit there with a beer to both reflect on what I had seen and plan the rest of my route around Llanca.

After a further short wander around the old town and then the port, I made my way back to Camping L’Ombra. The dogs wanted walking and Vanya and I needed feeding.

I mentioned perviously that this part of the Catalan coast is renowned for it’s food (see last years post on Roses) and we weren’t disappointed with the food served to us at a bar-restaurant named ‘El Floc’, which in Catalan means ‘the flake’. A lady we spoke to down at the port had recommended El Floc for it’s food, service and ambience and she was right on all counts.

El Floc is a modern, clean and very popular restaurant on Avenida Pau Casals. It was busy as we arrived but we secured the last empty table on the terrace at the front of the restaurant and, over the next couple of hours, enjoyed a really pleasant late lunch. The food wasn’t cheap but it was good value, being very tasty and beautifully presented. My starter, Scallops with a Trumpets of Death Parmentier, was outstanding and as for Vanya’s dessert of Strawberry Soup… she adored it.

The next day I set off to explore some of the beaches around Llanca. First I headed south from Llanca in the direction of El Port de la Selva to the beach at Cap de Bol. I enjoyed the walk and would have continued on beyond El Port de la Selva to Cadaques but there was insufficient time. Instead I retraced my steps to Llanca and then walked north along the coast taking in the beaches of Platja del Port, Platja de L’Argilera, Platja de San Jordi, Platja de L’Alguer, Platja Sota del Parador and Platja de Grifeu. There are some 23 different beaches in the vicinity of Llanca and they vary enormously but all have something about them.

The Platja del Port is the largest of the beaches visited during the course of the day, measuring some 425 metres (by 30 metres) between Llanca’s port area and the mouth of the River Valleta. Unsurprisingly, the Port Beach is the busiest of all those in the area and it is lined with bars, restaurants and shops. The sand is coarse but, like the water in this area, it is very clean; so much so that the beach has been awarded a Blue Flag. Further north, the smaller Platja de Grifeu with it’s fine sandy beach also has a Blue Flag and it is my favourite. I sat for an hour outside one of the two bars on the Grifeu just sipping beer and chilling. Most of these beaches are small and are to be found in inviting, unspoilt little coves with crystal clear water and mountain backdrops.

One beach that I didn’t reach but will visit in the future is to be found at the remote pocket sized cove of Cala Bramant, some two miles north of Llanca. Platja Bramant is a small pebble beach with a narrow opening to the sea. It’s crystal clear water offers interesting snorkelling and is best visited in the morning when the tide is high and the beach is quieter.

Reading back that which I have written so far it perhaps appears I have been rather restrained with my thoughts regarding Llanca. Let me explain. The facts are that (i) Catalonia, especially in the north, has many pretty coastal resorts and I cannot, in all honesty, rank Llanca amongst the best and (ii) many of the Region’s towns have considerably larger and more interesting medieval quarters whereas; little remains of Llanca’s old town (not least because of damage caused to the town during the Carlist Wars and the Spanish Civil War) and (iii) as good as the food is in Llanca (and with apologies to El Floc and Els Pescadors), Llanca is a small town with nowhere near enough restaurants to compete with the likes of Barcelona, Blanes, Casamar, Miramar or either of Roses or Cadaques (where Michelin Stars abound). Nevertheless, I like Llanca and I will definitely return to the town.

Out of season, and this is a real plus, Llanca is nowhere near as crowded with tourists as the other towns I have mentioned in this post. Moreover, it offers an almost perfect balance in terms of things to do being (i) it’s proximity to other interesting towns and villages in Catalonia and (ii) it’s walking and/or hiking opportunities along the rugged and rocky coastline of the Costa Brava* and (iii) it’s many and varied beautiful beaches** and (iv) it’s wonderfully fresh food and drink and (v) the warm and inviting welcome afforded by the locals. Best of all, it is a great place to chill.

FOOTNOTES to Llanca Blog:-

* Coastline Catalonia has more than 500 kilometres of wonderfully rugged and rocky coastline, 160 kilometres of which form the Costa Brava and include the Camino de Ronda (and not forgetting the GR 92 which connects Porbou on the French Border with the Pont de L’Olivar where Catalonia meets Valencia). The well maintained coastal paths around Llanca provide for a range of spectacular sights (soaring sea cliffs and impressive rock formations, headlands with scenic panoramas, sheltered bays and shady forests, etc).

** Beaches There are 100+ beaches and coves on the Costa Blanca alone, 32 of them with Blue Flags. Many have all the facilities one would expect of seaside resort (restaurants, bars, deckchairs and showers, etc) while others are hidden and often deserted). The beaches and coves around Llanca are a stunning mix of gently sloping golden sands and sheltered rocky coves, all with clear calm sparkling water. I was going to include ‘warm’ in that description but no… not in June. Not while I was there.

And so to France…

Banyoles (Catalonia), Spain June 2024 (Tour 9)

Twelve miles north of Girona and twenty two miles south west of Salvador Dali’s hometown of Figueres, at the western entrance to Garrotxa Nature Reserve, is the small city of Banyoles (Banyoles having been granted city status in 1920). We were in this part of Catalonia four years ago (Tour 4) and stayed at Besalu and Tortella but missed Banyoles. That oversight has now been remedied.

The city is best known for it’s 2 kilometre long freshwater lake, the Lago de Banyoles, which stretches from north to south and has a depth of almost 50 metres. Fed by underground water sources, it is the largest natural lake in Catalonia and recognised for it’s wide range of flora and fauna (including otters, turtles, water snakes and 300+ different species of butterflies) but, it was the 1992 Summer Olympics which brought Banyoles to the world’s attention. It hosted all of the rowing events for the Barcelona Olympics and then again for the World Rowing Championships in 2004 and the Rowing World Cup in 2009 (as well as numerous, lesser rowing events). Going forward, the World Rowing Masters is to be hosted there in September 1925.

We parked up at Camping El Llac in Porqueres, on the south west corner of the lake and just 20 minutes walk from the city which is on the south east corner. Porqueres is known for it’s well preserved 1oth century church (the Eglesia de Santa Maria de Porqueres), consecrated in the 12th century. It is of modest design and contains little in terms of decoration. I read that it straddles a huge Earth Energy Line – an Earth Dragon Line but I don’t pretend to understand what that is all about. The church is, however, a pleasant enough place to visit and it sits in a quite exceptional setting on the edge of the lake.

There’s a flat 7 kilometre path around the edge of the lake but with Porqueres and Banyoles City being no more than 2 kilometres apart on the southern edge of the lake, the walk from the Eglesia de Santa Maria de Porqueres to the centre of Banyoles takes less than 30 minutes (even allowing for time to take photos).

The south east shore is dotted with a number of tiny houses or huts known as pesqueres. These huts were built during the latter part of the nineteenth and early twentieth century and are the ultimate beach huts for wealthy families to use as a base for fishing, boating and swimming in the lake. One now serves as the tourist information office but it was closed as I passed it. It mattered not; there are plenty of information boards positioned around the city and I was intent on exploring the medieval town centre and finding a bar where we could watch England’s second group match of the European Championship Finals, against Denmark. A bar in the old town would serve us well.

*One of the more impressive ‘pequeres’ on Lake Banyoles*…

It is thought humans may have lived in this area some 80,000 years ago but this is unproven. It is certain, however, following an archaelogical find at nearby La Draga in 1990, that a settlement was formed on the south east edge of the lake as long ago as 5,200 BC. Most of this settlement is submerged beneath the lake but this has worked to the archaeologists advantage because large numbers of different wooden tools (bows, javelins, digging sticks, spindles, ladles, etc) have been recovered, perfectly preserved in the waterlogged soil. Wooden piles, planks and building supports which formed accommodation and storage areas have also been reclaimed and these have facilitated the construction of replica buildings on the site which is just to the north of Banyoles (see below – not my photos).

The settlement was evacuated early in the 8th century (sometime between 711 and 720 AD) when Muslim Moors and Arabs invaded and conquered almost all of Spain but, at least in this part of Spain, the Muslim occupation didn’t last long. Within 100 years Catalonia was free of the invaders (it was centuries later before the invaders were removed from other parts of Spain) and Banyoles began to grow around the Bendictine Monastery of Saint Steven (Monestir de Sant Esteve) which was built in 812 AD. The original construction was destroyed by a Saracen attack in 945 AD but Banyoles survived and thrived on the back of a burgeoning textile industry and the monastery was rebuilt within just 12 years.

It took me no time to find the porticoed Placa Major and on it a lively little bar with a decent sized TV (the Cafe de la Placa) where Vanya and I could eat and watch England play Denmark later in the evening. The football match wasn’t due to start until 9pm which left time to explore the old town.

I didn’t stay long on the Placa Major. It’s a fair sized rectangle filled with Plane trees and edged by numerous stone arches and a few bars. It’s a pretty place and the thought of sitting in the shade with a beer while planning my next move appealed to me. However, a dozen or so school children (part of a brass band I think) were demonstrating their dubious abilities on various wind instruments to doting parents and grandparents. It was the loud applause (wholly out of proportion to the talent actually displayed by the children) which convinced me the watching adults were parents and grandparents but, either way, it wasn’t for me and I took to the streets.

*Proud parents* at the *Carrer Major entrance to Placa Major*

One very interesting feature of the town are the numerous open irrigation and/or drainage canals which were originally designed to both supply the city with water from the lake and provide flood protection. Over time these canals were lost (as one by one they were covered and integrated with the towns sewers) but, more recently (i.e. during the early part of this century), large numbers were uncovered and left exposed as part of a programme towards making the old town more interesting and attractive. They still provide a degree of flood protection but they now also serve as a charming water feature.

Most of the small historic centre is now pedestrianised and it is a joy to wander. I was particularly impressed with how clean it all is. Of course, the open canals may well help in this regard.

It didn’t take me long to find the Church of Santa Maria dels Turers (La Iglesia de Santa Maria dels Turers). Built in the Gothic style and consecrated in 1333, it has been remodelled a number of times (the current facade dates from the 16th century; two aisles were added in the 17th century and; the church’s stained glass windows date from the 20th century) but it isn’t the most handsome of churches and I didn’t stay long. In fact, I returned to Placa Major (the aspiring musicians had left); reserved a table for the evening and; enjoyed a couple of beers before making my way back to the Van.

At around 7pm Vanya and I readied the dogs and I led everyone around the lake and back into town to the Cafe de la Placa on the Placa Major to eat and watch the football. It’s a delightful walk and next time we visit the city I intend completing a full circuit of the lake.

The football match was anything but delightful. It ended in a 1-1 draw (which pretty much guarantees England a place in the next round even though England have one further Group Stage game to play) but, again, England were wholly disappointing.

The return journey to the campsite was pleasant and memorable in that Nala was given free rein to lead us back to the Van in the dark and she did an absolutely sterling job

The next morning saw us depart for the coast. We were heading some 40 miles east to Llanca for our final night in Spain.

Huesca City (Aragon), Spain June 2024 (Tour 9)

Everyone I know who has been to the Region of Aragon (that’s not many I admit but, even so) have gone there to enjoy the mountains and the rivers in the north. So far as I am aware not one has visited Huesca City. It was the same with Vanya and I until this particular tour and we’re both so pleased that we took the time to visit the place. It was a short visit but it was most enjoyable and we will return.

Huesca is the most northerly of Aragon’s three Provinces (the other two being Zaragoza and Teruel) and Huesca City is Huesca’s capital. With a population of approximately 52,000 it is a small city yet, it has so much history. It started as a Celtiberian village long before the Romans colonised the area and then; after the fall of the Roman Empire, was taken and ruled first by the Visigoths and then by the Moors until the time of the reconquest by the Aragonese kings. What remains of those latter days is to be found in the small yet captivating medieval quarter of the city but there are other equally appealing areas of the city even if they do provide for a considerably more modern looking metropolis than is normally to be found in the north of Spain.

The medieval quarter comprises mainly religious buildings (the Cathedral and Episcopal Palace, the Abbey/Monastery and Cloisters of San Pedro el Viejo and the Basilica de San Lorenzo) but there are plenty of other interesting places to see outside of the old town (my favourites are the late 19th/early 20th century monuments and art-deco buildings) but, if they warrant a visit, the area’s gastronomy justifies a full expedition (more about that later).

We were parked up in Camping San Jorge on the western edge of the city and the 15 minute walk to the medieval quarter took us through Parque Miguel Servet (a 100 year old green zone with ponds, a wide variety of trees, bandstand, origami statue and, not forgetting, Snow White’s House) and then on across the Plaza de Navarra (with it’s 1885 Fountain of the Muses and impressive Circle Oscense or Casino Building) and into the old town via the Calle de Galicia.

The biggest surprise in the park is what is known as Snow White’s House. It is actually a reproduction of the Seven Dwarves’ Cottage in the Walt Disney movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (sic). I read that it contains a library but we didn’t look.

*The Modernist ‘Casino’ on Navarra Square*

Right on the edge of the Medieval Quarter is Plaza Luis López Allúe. Once known as the Market Square and now regarded as the Plaza Mayor, this square is home to the city’s tourist office. The tourist office was open but otherwise, the Plaza was empty but that’s to be expected in Spain during the afternoon. It would be different when I returned in the evening, when it is cooler, with Vanya and our dogs.

The tourist office recommended my visiting the Medieval Quarter to view some of it’s many impressive ecclesiastical buildings. I started with the Cathedral and the adjoining Episcopal Palace (which has been used as a museum of sacred art and artifacts since 1945) and then moved on to the Monastery and Cloisters of San Pedro el Viejo (the ticket I bought allowed access to both) before finishing the afternoon at the Basilica of San Lorenzo while on my way back to collect Vanya and the dogs from our Van.

Ths 13th century Holy Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria, was built in the Gothic style on the site of what was first a Roman temple, then a Visigoth church and finally a Moorish mosque. In fact, the mosque was used as a catholic church for almost 200 years after the Moors were evicted from Aragon and surrounding areas.

The cathedral was finished in 1515 and has since been carefully restored to something approaching it’s original glory except that a particularly imposing spire which crowned the bell tower was accidently destroyed during the Spanish Civil War and has not been replaced. The tower is now left with a flat roof. I was in the cathedral for a fair time. The museum and contents are captivating, as are most of the cathedral’s 14 chapels but, it is the open bell tower which I found most interesting. The views over Huesca City and towards the Pyrenees are fascinating.

Directly opposite the Episcopal Palace on the Plaza de Catedral is another impressive building, an old 16th century renaissance palace with two towers. This building is currently shared by Huesca Ayuntamiento (the Huesca City Council) and the Colegio de Santiago which once belonged to the old University of Huesca. The building is open to tourists every weekday morning but it was closed by the time I had finished in the cathedral and I therefore made my way to the what must be Huesca’s oldest building, the Monastery San Pedro el Viejo.

*The first of 180 steps up the Belltower*

Just yards from the tourist office and easily identified by it’s hexagonal tower, the Abbey of San Pedro el Viejo is one of the oldest ecclesiastical buildings in Spain. It is believed to have existed in the time of the Visigoths although much of the present building and certainly all of the cloisters formed part of a 12th century Benedictine Monastery. The cloisters are as pretty as they come and the monastery’s former chapter room is now a chapel containing the tombs of King Alfonso ‘the Battler’ and his younger brother (and successor) King Ramiro II ‘the Monk’.

Alfonso, King of Aragon & Navarra between 1104 and 1134, was obsessed with war. He fought alongside his elder brother, Peter I, at the Battle of Alcoraz (when Aragon was retaken from the Moors) and accompanied El Cid, during his expeditions in Valencia but; it was later, after winning 29 battles against both Christian and Moorish armies that he earned his nickname ‘The Battler’. Alfonso died childless after suffering wounds in yet another battle and his younger brother, Ramiro,was pressed by Aragonese nobility to take the crown. King Ramiro II earned his soubriquet ‘The Monk’ without quite the same fuss (although his time as king was perhaps no less tumultuous). When pressed to become king, he was already a monk. Indeed, he was the abbot of a Benedictine monastery but; he did as was expected of him; he married; he produced an heir (a daughter, Petronilla); he married his daughter off to King Ramon Berenguer IV (who would in due course unite the kingdoms of Aragon and Barcelona or produce an heir who could do the same) and; he returned to a monastery to live out his days. Interesting times.

It was almost time for me to collect Vanya and the dogs. There was just enough time to visit the Basilica of San Lorenzo on my way back to the campsite. This route also gave me the opportunity to find an ATM and somewhere to eat in the evening.

The 17th century Basilica of San Lorenzo was closed by the time I arrived. I can’t therefore tell you much about the place other than that San Lorenzo is known in the UK as Saint Lawrence/Laurence and that he was born in Huesca City and is the Region’s patron Saint. That’s it except that he died a nasty death some time in the 3rd centuy during a purge by the Roman Emperor Valerian.

Some street art caught my eye while I was wandering Huesca City. I immediately recognised the Buster Keaton piece but I had never heard of Ramon Acin. I learned subsequently thathr was an artist, teacher, writer and anarchist who, together with his wife, was amongst the first Republicans to be executed by the Nationalists as the Spanish Civil War began.

Huesca is famous for it’s gastronomy and that evening, after showing Vanya some of the principal sights in the town, we started to look for somewhere suitable to eat and drink.

Typical dishes of the province include Huescan Garlic Soup, Las Migas a la Pastora de Aragon (breadcrumbs with meat & sausage), Chicken Chilindrón (a chicken stew with peppers & tomatoes), Cordero a la Pastora (a lamb casserole) and Ternasco Asado (roasted Aragon lamb) but these are all hearty dishes better suited to winter or for enjoying up in the mountains where it is generally cooler. Fortunately, Huesca City is also famous for it’s tapas and raciones. Indeed, Huesca is home to “Tatau, a modern tapas bar in the centre of the city which currently holds a Michelin Star. We were unable to secure a table at Tatau and settled at a table outside a lively tapas bar just off of the Calle de San Orencio in the San Lorenzo neighbourhood.

The place looked to be completely full as we arrived and with Nala in her “walking wheels” we weren’t sure we would get a table but the staff and various customers all cheerfully collaborated to clear a space for us at the front of the restaurant. The welcome we received was wonderful and the food surpassed all expectations with my favourite dish being a sensational Pulpo a Feira.

We ordered far too much food and each tapas was far bigger than expected (and they weren’t silly prices either) but we stuffed ourselves silly and did the food proud. I reproduce below the three dishes we most enjoyed but there were many more:-

The first was an Iberian Sirloin Steak with baked apple, goat cheese, port wine and a strawberry sauce. The second is something Vanya ordered and thoroughly enjoyed, a Prawn and Squid Risotto. The third was my absolute favourite. All of the seafood was good but the Pulpo a Feira (octopus) was something else.

We had a wonderful time and we look forward to returning to Huesca City.

Mendigorria (Navarra), Spain June 2024 (Tour 9)

We were heading for Huesca City in Aragon but on the way decided to overnight at Mendigorria on the banks of the River Arga in Navarra. The campsite there (Camping Errota – El Molino) has everything you would expect of a four star resort (including a climbing wall, squash court and mini golf course to say nothing of it’s two swimming pools and restaurant bar). I went for a swim in one of the pools but it was seriously cold and, understandably, Vanya did not want to know.

The village of Mendigorria is visible from the campsite and I took the time to have a wander around the village but, it is a quiet little place of less than 1,200 people and it didn’t take long because, leaving aside the views from the promenade at the top of the village and the ruins of the Roman city of Andelos, there is next to nothing to see or do (and, frankly, even Andelos offers little of interest – only a footprint of the town remains).

I passed three churches in the town, all of which were locked shut, and one bar which was also closed (but which in any event and, unusually for Spain, didn’t allow dogs). We’d eat in the camp restaurant that evening.

No, Mendigorria proved a disappointment but, hey, Huesca City would more than make up for that.

Haro (La Rioja), Spain June 2024 (Tour 9)

This was our fourth time in Haro. It is one of Vanya’s favourite places in Spain. I’ve always been rather ambivalent about the town but I thoroughly enjoyed this visit – I am definitely warming to the place. It isn’t very large (just 12,000 people) but there is a real energy about it.

After settling in at Campingred de Haro (I think Campingred may have taken this site over quite recently) we made our way up to the centro historico and the Plaza de la Paz. We thought to secure a table in one of the old town pinchos bars and watch Spain play Croatia in their opening game of the UEFA European Championship finals.

Imagine our surprise when upon arrival in the square at about 7pm we found some kind of festival in full swing. We had arrived in time for the Haro Civil War Festival with three brass bands competing to see who could play the loudest and longest and attract the most dancers. Honestly, the town was more interested in the band war than the national football team’s opening game. As the evening progressed and increasing numbers of people arrived to enjoy the festival, the town became louder and more rambunctious with everybody enjoying the revelry (or should I say rivalry?) but; for all that the place was never threatening – everybody remained in good humour as they drank, danced and followed the bands as they weaved their raucous way around the old town.

Needless to say, we had a late night. We managed to eat a little and drink a lot and we even managed to catch a few minutes of the football. Spain won 3-0 but very few of the locals in Haro seemed to care.

I was up early the next morning. It was a Sunday. I knew it was Sunday because the local Mercadona (the nearest you will get to a Waitrose in Spain) was closed but; no matter, I required only bread and milk (easily available in Haro even on a Sunday morning) and I was left with sufficient time to revisit the Basilica de Nuestra de la Vega just the other side of the Vega Gardens. I took few photos during this visit (see the blog posted during Tour 7 if it’s photos you want). It was enough just to sit for a moment and enjoy the peace and splendour of this magnificent church.

After a late breakfast we spent what remained of the day down at the Barrio de la Estacion. This part of Haro is where many of the larger Bodegas are located. It is named after it’s railway station which was built in the late 19th century to connect Haro with the Bordeaux wine trade. I should explain that in the late 18th century French vineyards were devastated by a phylloxera epidemic and looked to La Rioja to supply wine. Haro rose to the occasion with the bodegas in the barrio being built not long after.

We started at Bodega Balbainas, that’s Vanya’s favourite, because of their sparkling white wine (Lumen). Bodega Balbainas were the first to establish themselves in the Barrio de la Estacion and first to produce sparkling wine in the whole of La Rioja (that was in 1913). It came as no surprise therefore to learn they are also the biggest wine producer in Haro with 250 hectares of vineyards.

Most of our time that day, however, was spent in my favourite bodega in Haro, the Muga. They produce some good white wines (there is absolutely nothing wrong with white Rioja) but it is their reds I favour most, particularly their Seleccion Especiale. It costs a little more but it is truly excellent. We spent a great afternoon on the Muga courtyard nibbling away at the local cheeses and sampling some fine wines. Vanya might well favour Balbainas over the Muga but, going forward, she’ll be more than happy at the thought of another such afternoon at Muga.

That night, still very tipsy, we made our way back to a bar on the Plaza de la Paz to watch another football match. This time it was England’s first game in the finals of the European Championships and they were drawn to play Serbia. Thank goodness for the wine because it was an awful game which England only narrowly won (1-0). Still, with the other two teams in their group drawing, they are currently top the group.

We would have liked to stay on in Haro not least because on June 29 the town holds it’s annual wine fight against the neighbouring town of Miranda de Ebro but, sadly, we have to be back in the UK by 1 July. I posted some detail of the wine battle on this website during an earlier visit to Haro (see Tour 6) but, in a nutshell, all those wishing to participate in the event dress completely in white except for a red sash and then throw buckets of red wine at the opposition (although you can also drink the wine). The wine is provided free by the local bodegas in a number of lorries which each contain as much as 20,000 litres of wine. As the song by Hot Chocolate goes – Everyone is a winner, baby!

Not sure where our next stop will be. We’ll find out tomorrow.

Vega de Espinareda (Castile y Leon), Spain June 2024 (Tour 9)

Within a couple of hours of driving from Monforte de Lemos we arrived at our overnight stop (Camping Rivera del Cua) in the village of Vega de Espinareda.

Vega de Espinareda is a small village of some 2,000 inhabitants in the Province of Leon in the Region of Castile y Leon. There is very little of interest to see or do either in or around the village but I wasn’t too bothered about that because it had been a long day given the drive from Oia and our stop at Monforte de Lemos. I was happy to go for a brief wander, buy some essential foodstuffs from the local store and then head back to the Van chill over a glass of wine or two.

The only building of any significance is across the river on the other side of the village. It was once a Benedictine Monastery (the Monastario de San Andres) and it looks to have been deserted for some considerable time (as has the school just behind it). Both buildings have been vandalised. There are signs up on the monastery which suggest that the local junta is awaiting funds from the EEC with which to renovate the building and I have since seen a video on Youtube (made 3 years ago) which supports this suggestion but, nothing positive seems to have been done.

I’ve not been able to find out much else about the monastery other than (i) it was once a very prosperous concern and; (ii) this building is a third reconstruction dating from 1780 (the first having been built as long ago as the 9th century) and; (iii) the monastery complex included both a convent and a school (with the school closing in 1995). It is sad to see such an impressive complex falling into such disrepair.

The only other point off interest in the village is the old bridge over the river but I cannot tell you much about that either.

Haro tomorrow!!