It had stopped raining by the time I woke up, and I wanted to explore a bit of Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire before I cycled off. I had an early breakfast at the hotel – less impressive than their lunch and dinner – and went to check out the two most important sites in town: Château de Barbezieux and Eglise Saint-Mathias. There was some construction around the exterior of the 15th century Château, so all I could do was look from afar. The church, whose earliest parts date back to 12th century, was an important pilgrimage site due to the numerous relics housed within, notably the skull of Saint Mathias.
Château de Barbezieux, undergoing some type of construction project to the outside area.
The morning sky was mostly cloudy, but patches of blue led me to hope for sunshine later in the day. The route to Aubeterre-sur-Donne was along small roads, through rolling hillsides. In this southeastern part of Charente, the terrain became hillier as I made my way east, moving along the top of one ridge, then down and up another. The view from the ridgetops revealed a succession of hillsides disappearing in the morning mist. Though the clouds threatened at times, the sun eventually broke through in spectacular way. By the time I reached Aubeterre, it was a blue sky beautiful day.
Looking to the north, we have a nice patch of blue early in the day
It was about 1:30 when I arrived at my small hotel in Saint-Romain, which was located a couple of kilometers outside of Aubeterre. After cleaning up, I walked into the village along a small gravel farm road. My visit to Aubeterre was first sparked during conversations with Odile and Alain, the couple I met in Feuillade on my first night of cycling. Subsequently, many people spoke glowingly of the village, all mentioning how beautiful it was. Indeed, it is officially listed as one of “The Most Beautiful Villages in France.” I had not done further research into the history or sites of Aubeterre and so was a bit ill-prepared for the remarkable afternoon that I enjoyed.
The name Aubeterre is derived from “Aube terre” or white stone. The village is draped on a chalky limestone hillside, with a difference of 240 ft from its highest to lowest point. One of the most important historical monuments in Aubeterre is Eglise Saint-Jacques. First consecrated in 1171, it was erected to welcome pilgrims on their journey to Santiago de Compostela. The inside of the church is somewhat simple, especially when compared to the beautifully carved archways of the church's impressive façade. Leaving the church, I wandered up and down the village before stopping for an ice cream and Schweppes on what was now a hot and sunny day.
A nice farm road took me the last 2 km to Aubeterre-sur-Dronne on foot
As I was finishing my ice cream and poring over a map of the village to see what else might be of interest, I noted the monolithic church of Saint-Jean. Not knowing exactly what that was, I went and paid my entrance fee and was utterly stunned to find myself in an underground church. I have visited quite a few churches and cathedrals during my travels in Europe, but I had never heard of a subterranean church. And to think I almost missed it!
The church of Saint-Jean was carved into a cliff in the 7th century, and was enlarged by Benedictine monks in the 12th century. Though only part of the expanded church is intact and open to visitors, it is extraordinarily impressive. The nave is almost 65 ft (20 m) long and 50 ft (15 m) high, an astounding space that isn’t easily captured by photographs. On three sides, there is an upper gallery that you can reach by a staircase that is carved into the rock. An impressive stone reliquary 59 ft (6 m) high sits at one end of the nave. Said to be a replica of the tomb of Jesus, it housed relics brought back from the crusades. Outside the doorway of the original 7th century church is the burial site for nearly 80 medieval stone coffins. And finally, there is a crypt that you can access by another stone staircase carved into the rock. Hidden for centuries by rock fall, the church was rediscovered in the 1950’s. And I am so glad I discovered it for myself!
Never having heard of a monolithic church, the outside entrance area to the Saint Jean church gave me no clue as to what I would find inside
Massive stone pillars - with eight sides at the base and four sides at the top - distinguish the central and lateral nave. Arched windows of the upstairs gallery can be seen between the pillars
Making my way back to Saint-Romain, I reflected on how my experiences on this tour have been enhanced not only by new discoveries and surprises, but also by past memories unexpectedly rekindled by a sight, a smell, or a touch. Today, it was the landscape that evoked old memories – not of the flat farmlands of Iowa, but of the rolling hills of Southern New England where I lived seven years during graduate school. It was a wonderful day spent cycling and touristing between past and present, enjoying the landscapes of the Southern Charente and the surprises of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne.
