I've been going through my journals again, not least because I have hundreds of photographs on my hard drive that are just files in a folder with a date. So, identifying the pics and getting them all properly organised has been one of those tasks I keep meaning to get on with...
Wednesday, 7th
I've passed through and around
this little town on numerous occasions as I've been heading somewhere
else. This time around I'm staying in
the area for a short while so that I can explore.
Sitting at about 200m above sea
level, Châtillon is a small
town with a population of around 3,000 inhabitants. And if you check the old census records you'll find that the
level of the population has hardly changed since the late 18th
century. Quite an achievement for a
small town in central France.
The town gets its first official
mention in documents dating from the 9th century, but there are
signs of habitation here before that.
The town I see grew up around the 12th century feudal tower
and dungeon. Beginning at the ruined
tower that still remains, I'm able to walk within the confines of the ancient
streets that circle it. All around are
vestiges of a by-gone era. As small as
the town is, it was somewhere of great importance in the past. The King's representative for justice was based here and the
Presidential Court was inaugurated here. It's a bit of a climb to the 13th
century chateau but well worth the effort.
The town also sits on the river Indre and as I cross the bridge I stop
and gaze at the view…
Back at my camping spot in nearby Preuilly-sur-Claise, I check my map. The river Indre rises just west of Montluçon
and then flows more or less northwest until it joins the Loire. It's long enough to have two départements
named after it. Looking at my map and
counting the squares I would guess the river is some 200 miles long or
thereabouts. In Châtillon, the Indre flows in clear ripples across
a rocky bed…
Thank you! I love 'whiffs' from the past, when somewhere is very old, as in your targeted place. That musty, sometimes mysterious,imagined odour conjures up vivid scenes...It sounds a fascinating part of France. We've always been enchanted with France but never saw quite enough of it. Happy journeying.
ReplyDeleteThank you and thanks for visiting the blog. It is a lovely area to visit, gently rolling hills and some interesting old towns and villages.
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