Page 309 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

in AD 650 and is named after was enno bled in 1441 and it
St Benedict, patron saint of was in his capacity as an arms
Europe. His relics were dealer that he established a Did You Know?
brought from Italy at the end tradition maintained for four
of the 7th century. centuries, as Napoléon III had In Bourges, in summer
The church’s belfry porch is cannons manufactured here evenings, the medieval
graced with carved capitals in 1862. buildings are lit up
depicting biblical scenes. The Built over part of the walls, with light, images
nave is tall and light, and the the Palais Jacques Coeur is and music.
choir floor is an amazing a Gothic gem and a lasting
patchwork of Italian marble. memorial to its first master.
Daily services with Gregorian Finished in 1453, it incorpo-
chants are open to the public. rates Coeur’s two emblems, Heures. From the top of the
scallop shells and hearts, as north tower stretch views of
well as his motto: “À cœur the beautifully restored medi-
j vaillant, rien d’impossible” – to eval quarter and the marshes
the valiant heart, nothing is
beyond. Beside the cathe dral
Bourges impossible. The guided tour is a tithe barn and the remains
reveals a barrel-vaulted gallery, of the Gallo-Roman ramparts.
! D4 ⌂ Cher £ @ n 21 rue
Victor Hugo; www. painted chapel and a chamber The Jardin des Prés Fichaux,
that had Turkish baths.
set by the River Yèvre, contains
bourges-tourisme.com
Rue Bourbonnoux leads to pools and an open-air theatre.
Today Bourges flourishes as St-Étienne, a cathedral very To the north lie the Marais de
a university town and cultural similar to Paris’s Notre-Dame. Bourges, where gardeners
mecca, renowned for its spring The grand west façade, the transport their produce by
festival of music. This Gallo- widest among France’s Gothic river boat.
Roman city still retains its cathedrals, has five sculpted About 35 km (22 miles)
original walls but is best portals, the central one south of Bourges is the Abbaye
known as the city of Jacques depicting an enthralling Last de Noirlac. Founded in 1136, it
Coeur, who rose through the Judgment. In the choir are is one of the best-preserved
ranks to become financier and vivid 13th-century stained- Cistercian abbeys in France.
foreign minister to Charles VII. glass windows pre sented by
Coeur came from humble the guilds. The crypt holds the Palais Jacques Coeur
beginnings – his father was a tomb of the 14th-century "' ⌂ Rue Jacques Coeur
furrier in the cloth trade – to Duc de Berry, who commis- # Hours vary, check website
become the greatest mer- sioned the illumi nated ¢ Pub hols ∑ palais-jacques-
chant of the Middle Ages and manuscript the Très Riches coeur.fr

309

308-309_EW_France.indd 309 22/02/2019 16:22