Talmont sur Gironde is an historical site and one of The Most Beautiful Villages of France.
Talmont sits on a rocky peak overlooking the Gironde estuary. It still has its original layout as a "bastide". It was built in 1284 by Edward I of England when he was Duke of Aquitaine. During the Hundred Years' War which divided England and France, Talmont became a strategic stake.
Towering above the village, the magnificent church of St Radegonde, built in 1094 and symbol of the Poitou-Charentes region, is still protected by ramparts.
The church was a resting place for the Pilgrimage of Saint James of Compostela on the via Turonensis, because the pilgrims crossed the Gironde at this spot
The structure appears quite 'squat' and is Romanesque in character.
Tour boats from nearby villages regularly motor past when the tide permits.
An elegant interior.
This high relief, mother of pearl embroidery was made for the church in the late 1600's.
I can't begin to imagine how the local craftswomen made these beads out of mother of pearl or oyster shells, and attached it to the backing. Skill. Patience. Dedication.
After a weekend of rain the estuary looks muddy with lots of loose weed, but the water is extremely clean.
In both photos you can see the different waters - the river water appears a bit muddy and the ocean water, running with the swift current, slightly blue.
The village offers a great walk around the whole promontory. The church dominates the outer walls.
In the village, whitewashed houses and blue shutters peep out behind hollyhocks. Sheltered from the wind by the church and the walls to the sea, it is very quaint. No one lives here now, it is strictly a tourist site and the old houses are occupied by crafts people and small businesses.
The street of Edward the First of England who founded this town of Talmont in 1284.
Not all of the walls are still intact.
Those are vineyards you can see on the other headland along with a number of
fishing platforms with square nets called “carrelets”. They are seen frequently in western France but particularly on and around the Gironde estuary. We also saw them on the Adriatic coast of Italy.
Very picturesque.
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