Majestueux témoins du Moyen Âge, les haltes jacquaires des Vals de Saintonge, inscrites au patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco sont fascinantes.
On the Ways of St James of Compostella
Situated on the Way from Tours, Aulnay-de-Saintonge and Saint-Jean-d’Angély were among the St James stopovers that marked the journeys of countless pilgrims from all over Europe aiming for Spain.
These two landmarks of the Way of St James, the two architectural jewels that are the church of Saint-Pierre and the Abbaye Royale, express the immense fervour and creativity of the architects and craftsmen of the Middle Ages
A true masterpiece of Poitevin 12th century Romanesque art, the church of Saint-Pierre d’Aulnay-de-Saintonge, surrounded by yew-trees in the peaceful setting of its old cemetery, shows an architectural ensemble of harmonious proportions. Don’t miss sunset … Daylight shows off the exceptional richness of the ornamental compositions and modillions of the western façade and lights up the magnificent southern door with arches decorated with a rare subtlety.
The interior gives the impression of movement. A profusion of sculptures invades the capitals, as your imagination sees it, like an immense book in stone … Wander through the medieval garden behind the apse with its geometric plots of kitchen and medicinal plants. The enclosure, formerly the cemetery, reveals numerous gravestones that resemble sarcophaguses.
In the heart of Saint-Jean-d’Angély
Discover the magnificent 9th century Abbaye Royale, founded by Pépin, king of Aquitaine, to shelter the relic of the skull of St John the Baptist, brought back from the Middle East. Pillaged by the Vikings, the abbey was rebuilt in the 11th century, replete with the holy relic that had been safely hidden. The abbey then became a site of veneration by pilgrims offering gifts. The relic was however lost again during the 100 Years’ War and the Wars of Religion when the abbey was damaged. Bravely, the Benedictine monks renovated the abbey in the 17th and 18th centuries but left the site during the Revolution.
The Abbaye Royale is of classical architecture and rises two storeys in the heart of a vast courtyard. Its majestic main gateway bears witness to the prestigious historic and religious past of this monument that marks the “Main Way of St James”.
Two other major sites on the pilgrimage itinerary in the south of Charentes should be visited:
- The church of St Eutrope in Saintes
- The Pilgrims’ hospital in Pons