14th October, La Citié Médiévale de Pérouges

Ann finds most, if not all, of  our endroits d'aventure (adventure locations) and yesterday she went beyond the contract in leading us to La Citié Médiévale de Pérouges (The Medieval City of Pérouges) about 35 kms north east of Lyon.
I had thought I had seen all of the medieval cities to be seen after travelling parts of Italy and some of France until yesterday.

This one is a beauty and our thanks to those members of the French Beaux Council who, under the auspices of the President of the time, Eduard Herriot, saw fit to conserve it back in 1911 and save it from possible demolition. The 19th century brought industrial developments, the railway and rerouting of local roads all of which threatened the survival of Pérouges and the population fell from1500 to a reported 8. Houses though were saved and progressively restored and the population is now listed at 1250. 
The village  is also listed amongst "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France)". 

Perched on its hill, Pérouges is the perfect example of a Middle Ages town. A village of craftsmen, it has never known the sway of a lord; its inhabitants were already enjoying communal freedom as early as 1236. The village has no rich relics but can boast an intermingling of its houses of nobility and its more modest craftsmen's houses on the unevenly paved streets. It has attracted film producers who have used exterior shots in numerous French films including "The Three Musketeers". 

To enter some of the buildings - the museum was often used as a trading place by the local drapers and the Ostellerie (hotel, restaurant) dating back to XIIIth century, where we had lunch including the famous Galette de Pérouges- takes you back to those days of long ago. It is difficult to describe the feeling of entering a doorway, climbing a stairway, walking the ancient streets (made of round pebbles which make walking difficult), or just standing and looking at a wooden statue and know that someone else did the same thing over 800 years ago.
Enough words. Please enjoy some of the images of  La Citié Médiévale de Pérouges.

Applying cream to a Galette