La Rochelle - Part 2

I do apologise; it is over a month since I wrote Part 1 of this trip!  The fruit and vegetables in the garden have kept me very busy and there were literally hundreds of photos of the excursion for me to  review and edit. The wonders of digital photography, I guess!! Part 3 will be more of this day trip and Part 4 will be a visit to the island port of Saint Martin de Ré.  I have not even started looking at those photos yet!!! 

This post documents our day trip to the region called the Marais Poitevin, otherwise known as "Venise Verte" (Green Venice), a beautiful coastal wetland area of reclaimed land, marshes, rivers and canals occupying 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres), making it the second largest wetland in France - after the Camargue in southern France.  Most of it is within an easy hour's drive to the north east of La Rochelle. 

To keep the number of photos to manageable proportions, this is only part of our second day there;so there is more to come!  

Clever French engineering! Above and below - this is how they deal with canals at different levels meeting at right angles; they pass one canal under another!! Useful technology when you have a countryside full of waterways going in all directions!

 Eglise Notre Dame in Courcon, a small town in the area. This church site dates back to Roman times and the current structure was started in 1091 as a fortified place of worship which could be defended against the Normans (they did get around!). But it was later in history, during the Hundred Years War (1337-1453), that the church played a military role, having its walls raised and thickened, and a secure room was added at high level above the nave. The Roman style tower holds a church bell weighing 450 kilogrammes (1000 pounds)!

The church roof, on the point of falling in, was replaced in 1814 and much other repair work was done 100 years ago to reinstate crumbling stonework.

The stained glass, above and below was replaced in the 19th century.

Translating from the helpful brochure left in the church for the edification of visitors :- The window above the altar, pictures below, contains 4 panels representing (L to R) 
(1). Saint William, died in 812 and canonised in 1066
(2). Sainte Joan of Arc 1412-1431 , French martyr canonised in 1920.
(3). Saint Louis, a 13th century French king canonised in 1297 and
(4). Saint Bernard, a 12th century Cistercian abbot canonised in 1174.

We stopped for lunch at a creperie in Arçais, another small town in the area, where we ate and enjoyed this beautiful view. As the area is very flat, it attracts lots of cycle tourists (like the one in the picture!) who are drawn to the leisurely rides and spectacular scenery.

The Church of St Guy at Damvix, not far away, was built between 1849 and 1864. The tower was added in 1879.   It features a series of windows designed in 1962 and made by the master glass-maker Gouffault of Orleans. These windows are  scenes from the Bible, from the Creation to the Last Judgement.

The Church has three naves separated by square columns, supporting a coffered ceiling of painted wooden slats; currently being restored, as you can see below. I have noted before that the French now take pride in their churches and in keeping them maintained!

I took a fancy to this "gypsy" caravan below. The occupants didn't look like tourists, so this must be their everyday transport!

We also visited a bird park at Sainte Hilaire-la-Palud, which had an amazing collection of water birds.

 I took many bird photos and I have put them all on a separate page for easy viewing.  See HERE