Lorris - Fleury Abbey and Saint Benoit

Saturday – We had a great sleep until 08:00 when the alarm went off. Straight down to breakfast and then shower time. On the road in thick fog back to the farm in Ouzouer-sur-Loire to pick up Leslie, but not before a quick walk around Lorris and visit to Eglise Notre Dame, the 12th century church and the ancient medieval covered marketplace. For lunch we went to Gien, with a visit to the small Christmas market and a meal at “Le Contadine” Italian restaurant. I did not find the Italian food here as good as in Australia. Our next visit was to the Gien China factory outlet shop, where as expected we bought a few small things being very aware of our luggage limitations and that the suitcases were already full. Fred insisted that we also see the Pont Canal de Briare a late 18th century aqueduct which passes over the Loire River. On the way home a final stop at the Fleury Abbey which holds saint Benedict’s remains. He is also known as Saint Benoit. Dinner on the farm was raclette and champagne. Home to Lorris at 23:00.

The Halle de Lorris is an open hall with rectangular floor plan. It dates from the early 12th century, when fairs and markets were established by Kings Louis VI and Louis VII. In the 14th century, these halls "were well covered and locked". They housed a large market for poultry and agricultural produce, as well as stalls for drapers, shoemakers and tanners. In 1134, King Louis VI the Fat, introduced what is known as the Lorris charter or customs, to facilitate local trade. The Halle de Lorris was subsequently burnt down during the Hundred Years' War by English troops. This fire had a major impact on trade in the town of Lorris. Restoration work was undertaken by the architect Eugène Viollet le Duc, who was responsible for restoring Notre-Dame de Paris and the Cité de Carcassonne. The hall was renovated with a single central bay and covered with tiles and slates. Under the roof structure itself, there is a closed attic, partitioned with cob and served by a wooden staircase. Until the French Revolution, this staircase was used by the provost to store benches, tables and stalls. Finally, in 1987, the hall was listed as a Historic Monument. The most recent restoration of the Lorris market hall took place in 1992, restoring the two original bays that had been removed at the beginning of the 19th century. The Lorris market has been held on Thursday mornings since the 15th century, under the covered market and on the Place du Martroi.Read more