a side trip to an old abbey
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wall around abbey in Maillezais (image from Street View)
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map showing distance travelled (map from Google Maps)
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On March 29, I completed my side trip to see the Abbaye St Pierre in Maillezais. Maillezais is a charming town with the narrow streets I am growing used to…
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street in Grande Bernegoue (image from Street View)
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Not much greenery in this town – this vine looks like it is hanging on by a thread…
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vine struggling to survive (image from Street View)
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The Abbey St Pierre was certainly worth the virtual side trip. It was built in 989 AD on an island, a rocky outcrop, in the Marais Poitevin (the Poitevin Marsh). The Benedictine Abbey and Cathedral were destroyed in 1562 during fighting between French Catholics and Protestants.
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At the entryway to the Abbey grounds is an old building, one of a few still standing on the site…
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view of entryway to Abbey (image from Street View)
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The aerial view of the grounds shows the extent of the Abbey …
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map of abbey – the standing cathedral ruins are the dotted area and the grey wall to the upper edge of the ‘dots’ (former cathedral pillars) (map from Google Maps)
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The ruins of the abbey form a majestic silhouette above the walls surrounding the site…
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ruins of cathedral (image from Street View)
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Best View: the silhouette of the Abbey
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Copyright Jane Tims 2013
nichepoetryandprose 
It’s surprising how much you can see by street view though!
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Watching Seasons
April 26, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Hi. Google maps and Street View are amazing. The only think … the images aren’t close enough for plant identification. Jane
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jane tims
April 26, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Hi Jane, You must be getting in good shape by now with all the virtual biking you have been doing!! Love your drawings as always….. hope you are enjoying a bit of spring weather up there…. here it just doesn’t want to get warm yet…. but the buds are very slowly coming out and the little song birds have returned. hugs, Leigh
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SingingBones
April 26, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Hi Leigh. I wish I could say I’ve lost tons of weight, but not so. However, I can see the difference, especially in my walking and stamina. Also, my cholesterol is down. The weather here is so nice. We were at our camp today and there was a lovely breeze, warm and no insects!!!! The plants are coming along … trees have catkins and the maple trees have their red blooms, inconspicuous but lovely up close. Jane
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jane tims
April 26, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Thanks for your note, Jane. So glad to hear all your glad news! Isn’t it nice to just feel better about your body, even small progress is really something to be proud of! and just think: when your family asks you to take a 5 or 10 km bike ride around the countryside, you will be confident to say, Yes!! happy spring, Leigh
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SingingBones
April 28, 2013 at 11:27 am
Hi Jane. That’s one thing about Europe. It would be great to visit these old ruins.
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JD
April 24, 2013 at 5:47 pm
Hi. Yes, a long distance view is just not enough. Jane
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jane tims
April 25, 2013 at 2:41 pm