Paris1972-Versailles2003

And moving right along in my belle France, let me take you deep south to some off the beaten path towns of my road warrior trips. Indeed , it is a beautiful country no wonders is no 1 by visitors according to the UN-WTO! I am trying to see them all, hard task ahead!

We have been by here oh yeah! This is Théze  20 km north of Pau and is part of the Vic-Bilh. The N134 and the D44 /D944 as well as the connection with the A65 connects the city very nicely.  The Church of St. Peter dates from the 12C. It is remarkable for the volume of its porch tower and its Renaissance portal. It contains objects, paintings and furniture from the times.

We finally made the round for the day by coming all out to Thézé on the road D834 and coming back in into Pau. Here you have a nice looking Church, where it is ,also, église de Saint Pierre. The unique thing about it is that ithas a square bell tower with huge contraweight in a double retreat and with a cylindrical tower. It is considered as one of the most original in the region of Béarn.

There are vestiges of two fortified ensembles of the 11C and 12C, testify to the ancient past of the town. One of the sites, the Moutta, is currently with a Calvary. The dovecote at its foot is built at the site of the primitive entrance. The 17C dates the Château de Miret and the name of the family of Fanget, is located at the top of the village and was restored after a long period of ruin to house municipal premises.  The town presents a set of houses and farms from the 16C to the 20C.  The Church of St. Peter dates from the 12C. It is remarkable for the volume of its porch tower and its Renaissance portal. It contains objects, paintings and furniture from the times.

The webpage to help you plan your trip here and it is lovely indeed is:

The region of Bearn dept 64 on heritage things to see at Théze

Hope you enjoy the visit and as well as the town and the area just north of wonderful Pau, lovely, very fond memories of our visits here and always looking forward for more of Théze.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

And to tell you a bit more of a great historical institution of my belle France, and with courage on the line of duty, the Cadre Noir of Saumur cavarly school is awesome. A must to see while in the area of Saumur. I will tell you a bit more on it here

We move to the Cadre Noir and the school of cavalry. Saumur goes back to 1763,while it was decided to bring a regiment of carabineers of the Count of Provence here. Later in 1814, there is a training school of horsemen here that is followed in 1825 by the royal school of Cavalry . This military presence is the origin of this wonderful heritage now in town. It is now barracks of the 18C as well as riding school and stables built around the place du Chardonnet in the 18-19C. This includes today one of the most beautiful examples of European architecture of military horsemen.

The Cadre Noir has been developing for almost 150 years in the Saumur Cavalry School before being transferred in 1972 to the newly created National Riding School. In 1972, the Cadre Noir separated from the School of Application of the Armored Cavalry. Leaving the guardianship of the Ministry of Defense for that of Youth and Sports, it joined the National School of Riding that has just been created. Favoring academic riding, it is gradually becoming half of the teaching staff of a school mainly oriented towards the training of the frames of the equitation but in which one also teaches the three Olympic disciplines , the coupling, the endurance and the aerobatics.

A bit of history I like

In 1763, King Louis XV entrusted the Duke of Choiseul with the reorganization of the French cavalry. The most beautiful school in the world was then built on the Chardonnet to accommodate officers and non-commissioned officers in charge of training in cavalry regiments. It will work until 1788. Dissolved on the eve of the French revolution, the school will be reborn at the Restoration.

It then includes an Armory in which the principles of military horsemanship are taught. The “raised tunes” are officially practiced there. Appeared in the Middle Ages and maintained under the Italian Renaissance, the “school jumps” were used to decorate the carousel choreography. They also allowed proving the value and solidity of the riders in the saddle. The military origin of these movements is probable. In Saumur the “school jumps” were, and still are, practiced without stirrups.

The squires of the Manège académique, ancestor of the Cadre Noir, immediately claimed the tradition of Versailles. In 1828, at the first carousel, the executives presented batters and instructors. The latter are then wearing the current merry-go-round hat, the lantern or cocked hat, but the outfit is not yet black. It will become it during the reign of Louis Philippe. The Cadre Noir is born and therefore forms part of the riding instructors of the Cavalry School.

From 1840, the school sees confront two conceptions of academic riding, that of the Count of Aure and that of Lrançois Baucher. Sometimes very opposite, the methods of Aure and Baucher gave rise to many and violent polemics. Student of both, General L’Hotte, one of the most brilliant squires of his time, enriched the French equestrian tradition by laying down the bases of the doctrine.

The National Riding School has 400 horses hosted in individual boxes; 20,000 training days a year; 4 large stables; 6 rides and 15 Olympic courses; almost 50 km of prepared slopes; several hundred natural obstacles; a modern veterinary clinic; an equipped amphitheater; and a modern media library.

There are performing shows and a wonderful museum too, check dates as it can change. Some webpages to help you plan your trip here and it is a must are

The Cadre Noir official webpage here: https://www.ifce.fr/cadre-noir/

The tourist office of Saumur on the Cadre Noir : https://www.ot-saumur.fr/LE-CADRE-NOIR-DE-SAUMUR_a745.html

And the museum of cavalry here:  https://www.musee-cavalerie.fr/

More here in French from the friends of the cadre noir here:  https://www.amisducadrenoir.fr/le-cadre-noir-de-saumur/

There you go another gem in my belle France , and you will be delighted you visit. Enjoy the Cadre Noir as we did/do in wonderful Saumur.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!