ノムデュー周辺のアトラクション＆必見スポット - トップ17

Don't miss La Romieu to greet Angeline and the cats. I didn't see any, at least not alive ones. I didn't stop there either. To get there, I took the 6 km road; you can also get there via the GR (Greater French National Trail). Its Saint-Pierre collegiate church, a 14th-century Gothic masterpiece listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is imposing. Now for the legend... Around 1342, a terrible famine struck La Romieu. The starving inhabitants went so far as to eat all the cats in the village, thinking they were preserving their meager resources. But a little girl named Angeline, an orphan taken in by a local couple, adored cats. She hid two in the cellar, secretly feeding them, and then they bred. A little later, with all the cats gone, the village was invaded by thousands of rats, destroying the meager grain reserves and causing an even worse disaster. It was then that Angeline freed her cats. They multiplied again, drove out the rats, and saved the village. Angeline was honored by the villagers, and according to legend, her face took on the appearance of a cat, with feline features—a magical transformation to thank her love and loyalty to cats. Today, in tribute to this story, numerous cat statues adorn the streets, facades, and rooftops of the village.

Nérac is, like Amboise, a royal city insofar as the commune is the fief of the lords of Albret who became king of Navarre in the 15th century. It is also the epicentre of Protestantism. After the massacre of Saint Bartholomew, a treaty between the two religions was born in this city. This is the Edict of Nérac which restored rights for Protestants. It was signed on 28 February 1579 between King Henry III and the religionists. After the death of Henry III in 1589, the city lost its influence, because having no descendants, it was Henri de Navarre-Bourbon-Albret who became king of France under the name of Henri IV. It is then said that when the doors of Paris opened to Henry, those of fame closed for Nérac.

The visit to Nérac revolves around its navigable river, the Baïse. From the Saint-Nicolas church or the Petit Nérac viewpoint, you can see the port, the Old Bridge and the tanneries which today house an art gallery and restaurants. The walk takes place along the streets (Maison des Conferences, Château d'Henri IV and its museum) and in the Royal Park of La Garenne redesigned by Queen Margot, wife of Henri IV.

The collegiate church is magnificent, we recommend the guided tour. Our guide "Thierry" was both engaging and fun.

The Collegiate Church of Saint Pierre de la Romieu is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built at the very beginning of the 14th century and whose construction took 6 years. It houses a huge chapel, a Gothic cloister and a double spiral staircase, allowing you to climb the 33 meters of the bell tower. Open all year round, free or guided paying visits.

Beautiful architecture steeped in history.

Beautiful architecture steeped in history.

After the effort, the Rocamadour gate brings hope of a good beer.