Origin: AGEN, Cit'otel, 105 Boulevard du Presidente Carnot
Destination: Moissac, Hotel le Luxembourg, 2 Avenue Pierre Chabrie
Sunday:
Our last biking day along the Canal de Garonne so we took it slow and easy in the heat. (91 degrees) Larger sections of today were in the sun, so we especially appreciated the moments in the shade.
We stopped after the St. Christophe lock at Auberge de la Poule a Velo for a cold drink and ice cream. This was a lock keepers house that is now a restaurant and an overnight stay. We saw fewer boats in this stretch of the canal. We had been told on other stretches that a certain weed growing in the canal gets caught in boats' motors so useage has declined in certain sections.
Detoured slightly off the canal for lunch in Valence-d'Agen with two beautiful large fountains at each end of a shaded square and a striking mother/child sculpture next to the church.
Detoured slightly off the canal for lunch in Valence-d'Agen with two beautiful large fountains at each end of a shaded square and a striking mother/child sculpture next to the church.
At Cafe le Paris next to a large square, we talked briefly with a young woman pilgrim who was just finishing with her brother a part of the French Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle, having begun in Le Puy en-Valey.
We realize now how many times on our summer's journey, we have intersected with people and places on these remarkable pilgrim routes. Moissac is one of those places in France.
Just before we reached Moissac, the Garonne River and the Tarn join; both the canal and the Tarn go right through the middle of Moissac. Hotel le Luxembourg is a straight few blocks in taking the second bridge across the canal. Oliver showed us to our two-room suite and its two welcome fans.
After naps and showers we set out on foot to find a restaurant. Down some stairs and around a corner and into a beautiful square in front of Saint Pierre'so Abbey Church and cloister dating back to the 9th century.
We had dinner gazing at this remarkable Romanesque church
with an intricately carved doorway tympanum depicting St. John's vision of the Apocalypse.
We toasted our completion of 642 kms of cycling in France--along two canals (and their rivers) that for centuries have linked the Atlantic with the Mediterranean.
Monday:
Morning spent visiting first the Abbey Church of St. Pierre, built in Romanesque style in 1063 with a Gothic rebuilding in the 15th century. The stunning, painted, repetitive design on the walls was redone in 1960.
The large tympanum carved over the church portal and the side carvings of this entry depict the Last Judgement and the depiction of the separation of good and evil forces.
We watched a video in the detailing the figures on this impressive Romanesque portal.
We toured the cloister which was completed in 1100. Marble columns with intricately carved capitals encircle the inner courtyard.
In the 12th century this abbey housed the Benedictine order whose scribes produced many illuminated writings. The railroad development in the 19th century destroyed the north part of the abbey but the cloister and the doorway were added to UNESCO world heritage sites in 1998 as well as the French pilgrimage routes of St. Jacque (Santiago) of Compostela.
We visited a photographic exhibit of sites along the Camino in this area.
After lunch, Marney did laundry and Bob worked on photographs. After dinner, in front of two fans we worked on this blog.
Monday:
Morning spent visiting first the Abbey Church of St. Pierre, built in Romanesque style in 1063 with a Gothic rebuilding in the 15th century. The stunning, painted, repetitive design on the walls was redone in 1960.
The large tympanum carved over the church portal and the side carvings of this entry depict the Last Judgement and the depiction of the separation of good and evil forces.
We watched a video in the detailing the figures on this impressive Romanesque portal.
We toured the cloister which was completed in 1100. Marble columns with intricately carved capitals encircle the inner courtyard.
In the 12th century this abbey housed the Benedictine order whose scribes produced many illuminated writings. The railroad development in the 19th century destroyed the north part of the abbey but the cloister and the doorway were added to UNESCO world heritage sites in 1998 as well as the French pilgrimage routes of St. Jacque (Santiago) of Compostela.
We visited a photographic exhibit of sites along the Camino in this area.
After lunch, Marney did laundry and Bob worked on photographs. After dinner, in front of two fans we worked on this blog.
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