A New Adventure in France

We had to say goodbye again to our lovely campsite at Anglars-Juillac and we moved on, heading an hour south to another river (or two) and another campsite at the town of Moissac in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Occitanie region of southern France. We are based at another municipal campsite located on a small ‘island’ on the opposite bank from the town. As Joe says, you’d expect the council to get the best locations! It’s a very well equipped and well laid out site on the banks of the Tarn river and, even though we’re not ‘en premier ligne’, we have a view of the river from our pitch.

It’s a different feel at this campsite as we’re surrounded by French holidaymakers – no Dutch and still no Brits seen – so there’s a lovely hubbub around us and the services that the French expect such as the daily bread van and evening food trucks with roast chicken, etc. It’s a popular fishing location and there’s even a space where Joe has been able to launch his dinghy. The campsite office is located in the attractive brick-clad former mill ‘Moulin de Bidounet’ whose claim to fame is that the celebrated illustrator Firmin Bouisset was born there. Bouisset is well known for his advertising / poster illustrations of the 1890s featuring children including ‘ La Petite Menier’ (chocolate) and ‘ Le Petit écolier de LU’ (biscuits). These images are familiar to us in the UK from the metal tins and plaques sold in many ‘knick-knack’ or shabby chic shops and markets in the UK.

It’s a short cycle across the beautiful Pont Napoleon to the centre of Moissac. There’s a lot to explore in and around Moissac which is a notable stopping point on on one of the major Saint-Jacques de Compostelle routes, but our first stop had to be the amazing Abbaye Saint Pierre with its church and cloisters. The presence of monks in the area dates back to the 8th century and by the middle of the 11th century the abbey was one of the most important in south-west France. The interior of the church still has its beautiful 15th Century painted decoration with notices assuring visitors that it is NOT wallpaper and showing evidence of where constant finger marks have wiped off the paintwork.

• 

• 

The abbey also boasts one of the largest and best-preserved cloisters from the Romanesque period. This peaceful location is famous for the sculpted decoration on its pillars and 76 capitals many of which are ‘storiated’, i.e telling the story of a particular biblical event. These sculpted capitals in the cloister and the main portal of the church have been recognised by UNESCO’s World Heritage as part of the Chemin de Compostelle. We also climbed up to the upper vaulted room of the church’s tower gate, another display of Romanesque architecture with a vaulted roof and openings onto the interior of the church and views over the town. A wonderful start to our first explorations of this town. More to come.

• 

• 

• 

Seen elsewhere in the Lot… In the UK many telephone boxes have been ‘ repurposed’ as book swap locations cum library. The French have found a similar way of reusing old wine barrels….