Hello everyone! On my way from Poitiers to Paris I decided to detour and stay overnight in Saumur, then catch the bus from there to Fontevraud Abbey (for anyone planning on doing this, the bus departs from the Saumur train station bus/coach stops. It's called agglobus ligne 1B and runs 2-3 times per day in the Summer both ways). Saumur itself looks like a lovely town and has its own chateaux, but unfortunately I've not had the time to explore that too.
The main reason I came was to visit Fontevraud Abbey ... and it was more than worth it! It was absolutely beautiful. Walking around, even though there were plenty of tourists about, it still had an air of calm about the place.
The site was founded in 1101 by Robert d'Arbrissel with an aim of creating an idealised religious community; somewhere that men, women, the wealthy, the poor, nobles, or outcasts, could come together in a community with a unified dedication to God.
It's perhaps best known now however, for housing the effigies of Eleanor of Aquitaine, her son Richard the Lionheart, and second husband Henry II of England. It is nestled in a peaceful nook of the Loire valley in France at a meeting point of both Eleanor and Henry's lands. Both had connections with Fontevraud during their lives. Henry's aunt was the abbey's second abbess (Matilda of Anjou), and Eleanor retired there during the final years of her life and eventually took vows to become a nun.
Here are some photographs of this gorgeous place:
The cobbled pathway to the main entrance
The entrance
Some decorative features
Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England
Richard the Lionheart and Isabella of Angoulême (wife of King John of England)
The remains of a fresco of Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse (grandson to Eleanor and Henry)
This wonderful section used to be the kitchens
Beautiful, thank you :-)
ReplyDeleteReally interesting :-)
ReplyDeleteMarzio.
Thanks for the pictures, I loved that place! Dragged some friends there while we were on vacation in France about 10 years ago. We all decided that we liked the space of the kitchen, but would have hated cooking there. Some things are better modern.
ReplyDeleteAnn
Been there twice. Looking forward to returning one day. Thanks for the tip on buses schedules. The kitchens are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteAh.
ReplyDeleteEleanor & Henry.
Such a tumultuous marriage.
And their sexually ambiguous son, Richard, all gathered peacefully in South of France.
RIP.
situs sabung ayam s128
ReplyDeleteHi, this weekend is fastidious designed for me, since this
ReplyDeleteoccasion i am reading this impressive educational piece
of writing here at my home 안전한바카라사이트
ReplyDeleteشركة تنظيف مكيفات بالرياض 50 ريال عمالة فلبينية من أهم الشركات الخاصة بتنظيف وغسيل المكيفات بالمنطقة، فلا شك أن جميع أجهزة التكييف تحتاج إلى خدمات التنظيف والصيانة وذلك من وقت لآخر
شركة تنظيف بالرياض فلبينيين تقدم لك خصمًا يصل إلى 45% على جميع خدمات التنظيف. سواء كنت تبحث عن تنظيف السجاد، المجالس، الشقق، الفلل، أو أي خدمة تنظيف أخرى
ReplyDeleteشركة تسليك مجاري براس تنورة من افضل شركات تسليك المجاري بالمنطقة، فهي تقدم خدمات عديدة منها، تنظيف البيارات، فتح المجاري، تنظيف البالوعات، كذلك التعامل مع صرف المنزل وغيرها من الخدمات الهامة في هذا المجال
ReplyDeleteعندما يتعلق الأمر بتنظيف الخزانات في منطقة الجوف لابد من أن تتواصل مع شركة تنظيف خزانات بالجوف لأنها من الشركات التي تمكنت من تنظيف الرواسب والتكلسات والصدأ والعفن، وجميع ما يتراكم داخل الخزانات يتم تنظيفه وتطهيره وتعقيمه
ReplyDeleteشركة كلينر لتركيب الزجاج بالرياض تعد من أبرز الشركات المتخصصة في هذا المجال في المملكة العربية السعودية حيث تتميز شركة تركيب زجاج بالرياض بتقديم خدمات تركيب الزجاج بجودة عالية واحترافية فائقة.
ReplyDeleteشركة تركيب زجاج بالرياض
تعد شركة الدمام كلين لمكافحة الحشرات بالجبيل من الشركات الرائدة ذو الخبرة الفريدة في تنفيذ خدمات مكافحة الحشرات و رش المبيدات بالجبيل تواصل معنا للحصول على ارخص الاسعار.
ReplyDeleteشركة مكافحة حشرات بالجبيل