12.01 Day 118 . . . Angoulême

The alarm sounded at 4.45 and after a snooze we were all up at 5am and getting ready. We bundled into Roxvanne at 5.40am and set off - Bordeaux bound . . . Yet again.
Stopping only briefly at SuperU in Sauze for fuel, we found ourselves on the N10 heading south. Apart from some traffic on the approach to Bordeaux itself and the almost constant rain the journey was as painless as ever.
We rolled in and parked at Merignac Airport at about 8.30am. It took only minutes to walk into the terminal and see Did’s off through security, his visit seeming really short and sweet. We have definitely got this airport run off to a fine art now.
Tre and I had decided to stop at Angoulême on the way home. We had not been there since one of our very first visits to France house seeking.
Angoulême is quite a large town and has it’s centre above the main town, up on a hill top, which gives views across the surrounding area.
By about 1030am we were parking - we’ve not found a car park on either visit, so street parking has to be found. After a hassle with the parking app we finally walked towards the centre.
We walked up to to a small patisserie passing a small church Eglise Saint Andre in route. The patisserie, Julien Galon we think we visited last time we were here. We shared a baguette with a couple of coffees and Tre ordered a fruit cup cake. Tre very kindly shared some of the cupcake which was bloody delicious and I wished I’d ordered one as well. It had a crumble too just like on an apple crumble - in hindsight we should have bought another two to take away with us.
We walked from there towards the market, passing the Mairie’s/Town Hall building which is truly stunning.
Angoulême Town Hall and Mairie (Hôtel de ville Angoulême) . . . The Château d'Angoulême was a castle in the town. The only remaining parts are the keep of Lusignan and the tower of Valois, which are part of the Town Hall of Angoulême, together with a construction of the 19th century.
The rocky outcrop on which Angoulême sits, which dominates the river Charente and the Anguienne has been a strategical position for a long time. The first fortress on this site was built at the end of the Roman Empire. A rampart protecting a 27 hectare area has been maintained until the 13th century. The medieval castle was founded in around 886 by Count Alduin.
From the 10th to the 13th century, the Counts of Angoulême, the Taillifer then the Lusignan, strengthened the fortifications of the town, and enlarged them to include the Saint-Martial quarter.
Important additions to the castle were undertaken by Hugh X of Lusignan in 1226. In 1308, after the death of Guy de Lusignan, the county of Angoulême returned to the French Crown. It was then given to Louis d'Orléans in 1394, and then fell by inheritance to his son Jean de Valois, grandfather of Marguerite d'Angoulême and Francis I.
The duke of Épernon, governor of Angoumois, received Marie de' Medici when she escaped in 1619. After, the castle became the residence of the governors.
In 1840, the town bought the castle to house the Town Hall. The mayor, Paul Joseph Normand de la Tranchade, commissioned the architect Paul Abadie to develop the project, who dismantled a portion of the medieval buildings. The keep and a tower were preserved thanks to the pressure of the Archaeological and Historical Society of Charente.
We found our way to the indoor market which we had also visited previously. As always there were foods to be discovered that we had not previously seen. Today was no exception - as I, to Tre’s dismay selected a small piece of Irish Guinness Cheese to try later at home. We also purchased from one of the butchers, what we think is sausage meat or similar wrapped in ham or bacon, which is again then wrapped in chicken - all then hand tied. The butcher had been making these as we passed which is why it caught our attention. A little shocked at the price when we paid, but we want to keep trying new local dishes.
From the market we walked to the Cathedral - which Tre wanted to visit.
Angoulême Cathedral - Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d'Angoulême sits proudly at 1 Pl. Saint-Pierre, with views out over the surrounding area.
Angoulême Cathedral - Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d'Angoulême is a Roman Catholic church. The cathedral is in the Romanesque architectural and sculptural tradition, and is the seat of the Bishop of Angoulême.
A first cathedral was built on the site of a primitive, pre-Christian sanctuary, in the 4th century. The edifice was destroyed when the town was taken by Clovis after the Battle of Vouillé (507). Another cathedral was consecrated in 560, but this was also set on fire, maybe by the Vikings/Normans some two centuries later.
A third cathedral was then constructed under bishop Grimoard, abbot of Saint-Pierre de Brantôme. The new church was consecrated in 1017. However, at the beginning of the 12th century the citizens started to consider it too small for to the wealth of the county. The designer was bishop Gerard II, one of the most important French figures of the time, who was a professor, Papal legate for four popes and also a notable artist. Works began about 1110 and finished in 1128.
The church's original appearance was modified in the following centuries. One of the bell towers, for example, was destroyed during the Wars of Religion of the 16th century. Further alterations were made during the restorations by Paul Abadie in 1866-1885, including the addition of the two towers with conical tops, but the façade remains mostly medieval.
I never cease to be amazed by the way in which these buildings were constructed, taking into account the period in which they were built and the tools to hand at that time. Large domes always amaze me - simply due to the shape, height and detail - these here being tiled completely.
After leaving the Cathedral we walked Angoulême for a while before deciding to make tracks for home. Both of us a little jaded due to the early start this morning.
The weather turned for the worse on the way home and the rain started . . . Again.
Once home we did a few chores and then sat to try the Guinness cheese which remarkably was actually quite good. It almost tasted as if there was marmite within in - guessing just the malt taste coming through.
The evening passed by, both of us happy not to have a late night.
Tomorrow we need to book even more things, car hire and further hotels, also clear some bits from Roxvanne before we travel to the UK next week.Read more