2 weeks in France-5-26 to 6/8/2022

Day 1

Historic center

Historic center con'd & Archdiocese' garden

Cathedral of Bourges/The Crypt

The Crypt continuation

Day 2

Musee Estève

Palais Jacques Coeur

Palais Jacques Coeur continuation

Dinner at la Gargouille

2 Days in Bourges, France-5/29/2022 to 5/30/2022

Day 1-Bourges, Historic Center-5/29/2022

This morning we took a 4 hours train ride from Lyon to Bourges.

Bourges is a small town in central of France, towards the south-east of the Loire Valley region and about 100 kilometers south of Orléans. It has a substantial historic center and two very important monuments: the cathedral and the Palace Jacques Coeur. Both are listed as French National monuments and the town is very pleasant to explore.

Bourges has been classified as both a protected Historic Town in France and as an official Town of Art and History. 

Our apartment is from walking distance of the historic center.  First stop is the Tourist office to figure out our plan for Bourges.

 

First stop is by hopping on the tourists little train (Le petit train de Bourges).

 

Basically the train will take us to the entire heart of the historic city of Bourges.

 

 

The whole trip is about 45minutes and our tour guide will show us the ancient streets and main monuments along the way.

 

   

It was too difficult to take pictures while on the train so when the trip was over, we walked around now that we know more or less what to see in the historic center.

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One of the big square in Bourges where people can have a drink out in the open.

 

We are now entering the historic center and in the back in the Bell tower of the Cathedral of Bourges.

 

The area around the cathedral and the historic center of the city have retained many medieval buildings.

 

Maison Colladon is a bed and breakfast

 

The building is old but very charming.

 

Much of Bourges burned to the ground in the "Madeleine" fire in 1487 and destroyed between 1,000 to 2,000 houses.

 

Rapid rebuilding was essential, and this lasted until approximately 1520.

 

More than 440 houses originated from this period of rebuilding and can still be seen today.

 

Though the houses of the richest families were made ​​of stone, the dwelling of the craftsmen and the tradesmen was made of timber and particularly vulnerable to fire..

 

Two thirds of these houses only have two levels (ground and first floor). Among the houses with a second floor, the corner-houses occupy a privileged spot and express the wealth of their owner.

 

 

These relatively narrow, deep and high houses generally had two levels ; the ground floor accommodated shops and first floor the living quarters.

 

 You will notice the firewalls that sometimes separate houses. This measure was taken following the fire of 1487.

 

  

Square on Jean Girard square.

 

Escalier Mirebeau is an ancient passage that breaks through the Gallo-Roman wall connecting the upper town to the lower town

 

Avaricum shopping center a new retail complex with lots of shops, restaurants, etc..

 

Walk way surrounding the new shopping center and leading to the historic center.

 

 

 

Interesting how an old phone booth is now converted to a book exchange program where used books are placed inside for people to grab.

People can also leave their own book for others to read.

 

 

Street leading to Museum Esteve (We will come back later).

 

The back of The church of Notre Dame.

 

The church was closed so we will get back later.

 

NEXT.... Day 1-Historic center continuation

 

 

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