GK Tours. Day 77 & 78
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th January 2025.
St Genis de Saintonge, Saintes & St Jean d’Angely, France
We woke up to fog and mist on Saturday morning in Saint Emilion so waited until midday to see if it was going to clear. It did not.
It had eased off a little so we set out for Libourne just up the road. It wasn’t far and as the mist/fog hadn’t cleared we changed our plans and headed further on to a little village on our route, St Genis de Saintonge. It was a sleepy little French village that closed for the afternoon when we arrived.
After setting up the van in another Camping Car Park Aire, we took Meg out for a mooch around. It was actually quite a pretty little place with a sports hall, swimming pool, lots of schools and a couple of boulangeries and bars.
Not being able to resist the patisserie we popped in for a jam tart, a bit like an almond slice and a lemon meringue pie, which was washed down with a few cups of tea back at the van.
Dinner was homemade shepherd’s pie and veg, just what the doctor ordered on such a cold and dark day.
Sunday 19th January
This morning was a little brighter as we set out for Saintes. We travelled mostly on the country roads which were pretty busy for a French Sunday.
Typical tree lined avenues with the odd speed camera lurking threateningly 
. Many of the properties we passed were either vineyards or small homesteads with chickens and sheep etc.
It was a very pleasant drive. We had picked a car park in the centre of Saintes but next to a very swollen River Charente
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Our first stop was the Cathedral which has an unusual spire, a dome instead of the usual point.
Next we headed back to the river to see the Triumphal Arch of Germanicus.
It was built and dedicated to the adopted son of Caesar Augustus and framed a Roman bridge across the river. When the bridge had to be rebuilt the arch was saved, moved about 15 metres to where it now resides casting it’s glorious presence for all to see along the riverside 
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Wandering back through the town we took in a variety of aged buildings, from medieval to renaissance , heading for the Roman Amphitheater.
The site is huge and visible from ground level most of the way round. The amphitheater was built in a valley so the seating etc was carved into the rock. They are still working on it and have so far revealed many entrance ways and sets of steps leading to the Arena area.
With lots of info boards on the fence, we saw pictures from many years ago when they first discovered it, leading us through the years to recent times where they have held concerts, operas and plays. Amazing, I wonder what the Roman ghosts think of all that carry-on 
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Another church in Saintes, the St Eutrope Basilica has recently been cleaned on one side and looks amazing, as you can see from the photos it’s an ongoing project for which the main church is closed.
Underneath the church is a roman crypt, the door was open so I popped in. Now a UNESCO site, it was very dark when I entered, walking down the sloped natural rock entrance which leads you into this beautiful church, lit by daylight shining in through stained glass windows (at ground level outside). So peaceful that I walked softly so as not to disturb the silence.
Wow! What a find. Saintes is a great stop and one to recommend if you haven’t already been.
Moving on from Saintes we stopped at a little village called St Jean d’Angely. I had just seen it was en route and had some interesting buildings.
There was a free carpark right in the centre of town, it had loads of room and already a motorhome parked for the day.
As you walk into the main square there are some beautiful french renaissance buildings, a tea dance was happening in one .
There are a few medieval buildings squirreled away down little lanes and streets, still occupied.
A Tour de l’Horloge (Clock Tower) we walked under without realising and an old market square undergoing renovation.
We walked to the Royal Abbey which is now a community venue and is next to the church.
This church has a facade that initially makes you think it was bombed or destroyed by fire or similar, but it was actually never finished. This is said to be a result of the French Revolution.
Walking around the facade you then see another church, built as a temporary substitute, now The Church of St Jean d’Angely.
We stopped in a little cafe for a coffee and hot chocolate before heading back to the van.
There’s a great Camping Car Park Aire just on the river here, which we moved to for the night. Meg had a good run around the park, eating what we think is fowl poo off of the banks of the river 
but thoroughly enjoying her time off lead.
In the park next to the Aire is a little restaurant. Open till 10pm and could fit us in at 6.30pm . Meg went for a kip and we went for dinner.
What we didn’t realise was that Sunday night is Jazz Jamming night, so not only did we enjoy a lovely meal and a bottle of wine but had music and singing to accompany us . What a fab find 
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Back at the van a cup of tea was in order to wash down our meal – though we were already full to the brim and a good night’s sleep was had – wine induced of course .
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