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DISTANCE: 96 k/60 mi; TIME: 5h 27m; AV: 17.7 kph/11 mph: ODO: 730 k
Breakfast was late, after 8:30, probably because it is a holiday area. It had rained most of the night, I think, but there may have been pauses as I slept very well. It was raining at about 4 am, when I first woke. By the time I left it was just wet with low cloud. When I got to l’Ile Bouchard it was fine but grey. The sun tried to put in an appearance once or twice.PHOTOS:I rode out to Tavant and found the church, but it took me 15 minutes to find number 9 where the lady has the key. I decided, wrongly, that I had wasted time and to carry on to Richleau via Champigny-sur-Veude. At Richleau it was 11:30, so continued on my route. There was no chance of food until Lencloître, so I bombed along the 23 k in one and a half hours. I stopped at a pizzeria in Lencloître for lunch (l’Olivia Pizza and Deux Boules de Vanille).
I arrived in Poitiers about 4:30 and checked into the “Hôtel Regina,” a two star. Monsieur the barman kindly placed my vélo in the cellar. I later walked into the centre and old town.
The old town is built on a hill, but most of the surrounding modern part is low lying. I managed to find Notre-Dame-de-la-Grande. This was worth seeing. It is a very old, Romanesque church, with round arches and vaulting, much of which is decorated with patterns painted in colour. The West facade has many carvings and has had recent renovation. However, I think it is sandstone and is well worn. In the church there is a polychrome on wood tableau of Christ being taken down from the cross. The detail in the faces is very good. I briefly visited the cathedral of Poitiers, but it is very plain inside. The tympanum of the West door has detailed carvings and is being renovated. The Baptistry of St. Jean was closed when I got there. It too is undergoing extensive renovation. I also visited St. Hilaire, however it was now 7 pm and the bell was being tolled for Mass. I had dinner at the, “Bistro la Villette.”
Staint Nicolas at Tavant
Richleau - The North Gate
Pigeonnier at Lencloître
West facade of N-D-de la Grande - Poitiers
The Nave of N-D-de la Grande
Tableau - N-D-de la Grande
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