Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Montmorillon

There are many reasons for a stopover in Montmorillon, a quaint old town, a charnel house, a Romanesque church with a noted (ever closed) crypt - and the gourmet Restaurant "Le Lucullus". One of the ten best and most surprising (and still affordable) restaurants I know in the West of France. www.charminghoteldefrance.com/restaurant-gastronomic-mont...

There are many reasons for a stopover in Montmorillon, a quaint old town, a charnel house, a Romanesque church with a noted (ever closed) crypt - and the gourmet Restaurant "Le Lucullus". One of the ten best and most surprising (and still affordable) restaurants I know in the West of France. www.charminghoteldefrance.com/restaurant-gastronomic-mont...

There are many reasons for a stopover in Montmorillon, a quaint old town, a charnel house, a Romanesque church with a noted (ever closed) crypt - and the gourmet Restaurant "Le Lucullus". One of the ten best and most surprising (and still affordable) restaurants I know in the West of France. www.charminghoteldefrance.com/restaurant-gastronomic-montmorillon-lucullus

Notre Dame was built on a cliff in several stages. A church existed here already with the 11th century, which was in possession Abbey of Saint-Savin. The present church, since the 13th century a collegiate church, was built over the old crypt in different stages in the 13th, the 14th and the 15th century. It got restored many times. During the Hundred Years War, the walls were raised and fortified. The church was damaged during the Wars of Religion. It was necessary to rebuild the bell tower and the first spans of the nave. I had returned to Montmorillon as during my last visit I could not the crypt dedicated to Saint Sainte-Catherine of Alexandria. I knew of 11th-century frescoes in that old crypt, but it was closed again. Since 2018 the church is closed for the public and under repair, due to a partial collapse of the ground.

Since 1404 the bridge over the Gartempe river links the two banks of the town. Notre Dame was built on a cliff in several stages. A church existed here already with the 11th century, which was in possession Abbey of Saint-Savin. The present church, since the 13th century a collegiate church, was built over the old crypt in different stages in the 13th, the 14th and the 15th century. It got restored many times. During the Hundred Years War, the walls were raised and fortified. The church was damaged during the Wars of Religion. It was necessary to rebuild the bell tower and the first spans of the nave. The church got restored in the 19th century.

Somebody had parked this three-wheeled vehicle on the flea market in Montmorillon.

The gourmet restaurant "Le Lucullus" is part of the "Hotel de France" in Montmorillon. A really nice place to spend an evening and having a bottle of wine and trying "Menu Terroir". Tarte au chocolat, glace feve de tonka et son caramel au beurre salè www.charminghoteldefrance.com/

The gourmet restaurant "Le Lucullus" is part of the "Hotel de France" in Montmorillon. A really nice place to spend an evening and having a bottle of wine and trying "Menu Terroir". Charlotte de Papy Raymond revisitée aux fraises et se gelée de citron www.charminghoteldefrance.com/

The gourmet restaurant "Le Lucullus" is part of the "Hotel de France" in Montmorillon. A really nice place to spend an evening and having a bottle of wine and trying "Menu Terroir". Magret de canard maison Mitteault au beurre rouge d`Ampelidae (Mittelault is a producer of duck meat, Ampelidae is a winery) www.charminghoteldefrance.com/

The gourmet restaurant "Le Lucullus" is part of the "Hotel de France" in Montmorillon. A really nice place to spend an evening and having a bottle of wine and trying "Menu Terroir". Steak d'espadon, hollandaise a la vanille de Madagascar au syphon et pommes des terres nouvelles de l`ille de Re www.charminghoteldefrance.com/

The gourmet restaurant "Le Lucullus" is part of the "Hotel de France" in Montmorillon. A really nice place to spend an evening and having a bottle of wine and trying "Menu Terroir". As a starter: Ravioles d'escargots et farci poitevin, beurre provencale et ail noir www.charminghoteldefrance.com/

The gourmet restaurant "Le Lucullus" is part of the "Hotel de France" in Montmorillon. A really nice place to spend an evening and having a bottle of wine and trying "Menu Terroir". As a starter: Araignée de mer en gâteaux et sa declinaison de tomates, vinaigrette citronee www.charminghoteldefrance.com/

The octagon belonged to a large "Maison Dieu" ensemble, that was founded as a hospital in the 11th century by Robert II of France (aka "Robert the Pious"), the son of Hugo Capet. This hospital, run by monks, provided food and shelter for the pilgrims and the sick. Though the hospital, that as well was a convent, got severely damaged over the centuries, it always got rebuilt. Today the buildings are renovated and house the local retirement home. The octagon was erected within the 12th century and ws used as chapel and ossuary. Medieval octagons follow certain traditions, that may start at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. They can be found all over Europe, often connected to the Knights Hospitaller. The original roof of the octagon (a stone spire?) got lost, the roof seen today dateds back to the 17th century, the lantern was added in 1997. But all the corbels around the roof are still original. Here is one, that reminds me on a child and a stuffed toy. Obvioulsy a teddy (ears!) with very long arms.

The octagon belonged to a large "Maison Dieu" ensemble, that was founded as a hospital in the 11th century by Robert II of France (aka "Robert the Pious"), the son of Hugo Capet. This hospital, run by monks, provided food and shelter for the pilgrims and the sick. Though the hospital, that as well was a convent, got severely damaged over the centuries, it always got rebuilt. Today the buildings are renovated and house the local retirement home. The octagon was erected within the 12th century and ws used as chapel and ossuary. Medieval octagons follow certain traditions, that may start at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. They can be found all over Europe, often connected to the Knights Hospitaller. The western facade has this highly interesting sculptures, visible from two and four sides! The sculpted group was probably reused here. To the left is this Luxuria.

The octagon belonged to a large "Maison Dieu" ensemble, that was founded as a hospital in the 11th century by Robert II of France (aka "Robert the Pious"), the son of Hugo Capet. This hospital, run by monks, provided food and shelter for the pilgrims and the sick. Though the hospital, that as well was a convent, got severely damaged over the centuries, it always got rebuilt. Today the buildings are renovated and house the local retirement home. The octagon was erected within the 12th century and ws used as chapel and ossuary. Medieval octagons follow certain traditions, that may start at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. They can be found all over Europe, often connected to the Knights Hospitaller. The western facade has this highly interesting sculptures, visible from two and four sides! The sculpted group was probably reused here. To the left is a Luxuria.

The octagon belonged to a large "Maison Dieu" ensemble, that was founded as a hospital in the 11th century by Robert II of France (aka "Robert the Pious"), the son of Hugo Capet. This hospital, run by monks, provided food and shelter for the pilgrims and the sick. Though the hospital, that as well was a convent, got severely damaged over the centuries, it always got rebuilt. Today the buildings are renovated and house the local retirement home. The octagon was erected within the 12th century and ws used as chapel and ossuary. Medieval octagons follow certain traditions, that may start at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. They can be found all over Europe, often connected to the Knights Hospitaller. The western facade has this highly interesting sculptures, visible from two and four sides! The sculpted group was probably reused here. To the left is a Luxuria.

The octagon, seen here, belonged to a large "Maison Dieu" ensemble, that was founded as a hospital in the 11th century by Robert II of France (aka "Robert the Pious"), the son of Hugo Capet. This hospital, run by monks, provided food and shelter for the pilgrims and the sick. Though the hospital, that as well was a convent, got severely damaged over the centuries, it always got rebuilt. Today the buildings are renovated and house the local retirement home. The octagon was erected within the 12th century and ws used as chapel and ossuary. Medieval octagons follow certain traditions, that may start at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. They can be found all over Europe, often connected to the Knights Hospitaller. A small group of visitors is waiting for the guide with the key. This was not our lucky day, as the guide did never showed up. We learned from the tourist office, that he unfortunately had fallen ill that day. So nobody could see the interior.

The octagon belonged, like the church just seen, to a large "Maison Dieu" ensemble, that was founded as a hospital in the 11th century by Robert II of France (aka "Robert the Pious"), the son of Hugo Capet. This hospital, run by monks, provided food and shelter for the pilgrims and the sick. Though the hospital, that as well was a convent, got severely damaged over the centuries, it always got rebuilt. Today the buildings are renovated and house the local retirement home. The octagon was erected within the 12th century and was used as chapel and ossuary. I had come to Montmorrilon, to see this structure, as I am interested in medieval octogons. Of course, it was closed already that evening.