AUXERRE

Not too far from where we are staying is the ancient town of Auxerre.  It was built in the 3rd century by the Romans, who named it Autessiodurum.  It was known for it's wine trade back then & it is still central in the Chablis wine growing area today.  We weren't here for the wine though, we just wanted to do another delightful walking trail around the older part of town.  Starting at the beautiful clock tower...hard to believe it was once a prison...we went on.

Every now & then we stopped 'off course' because something beautiful had caught our eye.

There were a range of housing & building styles, so we felt like we were in a bit of a time machine tumble dryer!!.

Saint-Etienne Cathedral was the first religious building visit for the day.  (Rose will only allow us two per day!)

One aspect of this Cathedral that I enjoyed, were the range of sculpted faces decorating the top of a low frieze of columns & arches that decorate the walls.  There were 2 'green men' faces.  Again, a figure the Christian church today would label 'pagan' found in a church!!

Downstairs in the cold & damp crypt were the remaining Romanesque frescoes painted across the curve of the arched ceilings.  Restricted in colour, & stylised in form, they were beautiful to look up at.

Our second 'religious building' of the day was supposed to be the Abbey of St Germain.  However, that was closed today, so after an enjoyable walk down alongside the canal, we came upon Saint Pierre Church.  On the outside it looked rather tired & in need of a water pressure hose & some TLC.  Inside, the dark doors opened up to an interior flooded with light.  The ceiling was high, with criss-crossing arches & at the apex of each one was a beautiful mandala of pattern. 

I think I photographed each of them, & have to acknowledge that I was very grateful for the zoom lens!!

On leaving the church we noticed a gateway, referred to as St Pierre Porch.  This was interesting because it's central characters were an intoxicated Noah (from the Bible) & Cere's, Roman goddess of abundance!!

Our final stop was to an award winning chocolatier who sells a quite different sort of escargot!!