I have found older paper pictures new to my blog from the wonderful regions, I like to include these in my blog even if quality will not be tops. We were on my road warrior trip in the regions and these were memorable towns indeed ; some we have revisited, My belle France is an inmense mouvable feast ! Therefore, let me put them together in a curiosities of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, part II !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The town of Pons is located in the department of Charente-Maritime no 17 of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Perched on a rocky promontory where its emblematic dungeon stands proudly, bathed in its lower part by the different arms of the Seugne river, this medieval city and ancient Protestant fortified place has an important heritage set which makes it a leading tourist town, Pons is located 20 km from Saintes, 22 km from Cognac , 38 km from Royan, 80 km from La Rochelle , 55 km from Angoulême, 81 km from Bordeaux ,and 17 km from Jonzac. The A10 highway/ motorway, called “Aquitaine” where the city is served by the interchange exit or sortie no 36.
The dungeon of the old Château des Sires de Pons, which overlooks the Seugne Valley serves as an emblem and constitutes one of the most visited monuments of the city. From the circuit of the ramparts the site formerly occupied by the powerful fortress of the Sires de Pons is today essentially made up of a vast esplanade transformed into a public garden, a main body hung on to the cliff, now occupied by the City/town hall, a medieval porch surmounted by a castral chapel and especially an imposing quadrangular dungeon almost 33 meters, a real emblem of the medieval city. The base of the ramparts has been partially preserved, and forms a walk from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Val de Seugne. A monumental staircase, built on the order of César Phœbus d’Albret, Sire de Pons and Maréchal de France, makes it possible to connect the high to the low town.
A bit of history I like tell us that when the Santons submitted to the armies of Julius Caesar in 52 BC. AD, the Romans occupied Manu Militari the Oppidum of Pons and transformed it into Castrum. Pons became an important road crossroads at the turn of the 12C,and a powerfully fortified “city” where its dungeon, one of the most imposing in all of Saintonge region, makes it one of the the safest cities in the region. It will be particularly illustrated by the Treaty of Pons of August 1, 1242 where Louis IX, better known as Saint Louis, after having defeated the army of Henri III of England before Saintes on July 22 at the Battle of Taillebourg will impose the harsh conditions of English surrender at the foot of the Pons castle.
The town of Pons on its heritage : https://www.pons-ville.fr/decouvrir-pons/les-incontournables/
The town of Orthez is in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques dept 64, of the région of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, in my belle France, The Pont Vieux , spanning the Gave de Pau river, it connects the city center to its suburb of Depart. It is on the vicomtale road which went from the Haderne bridge, at Sault-de-Navailles, to the Osserain bridge, and led to Roncevaux. It owes its construction to Gaston VII Moncade of Béarn, when he made Orthez the capital of Béarn and transported his court there. The Pont Vieux d’Orthez . With its fortified tower and arches of different sizes, it is one of the rare examples of medieval military architecture. It is now remarkable for its unequal arches and its fortified central tower. The tower was restored according to its original arrangements in 1873. The crenelage and the roof are modern, The bridge resists two important assaults: In August 1569, the Huguenot troops of Montgommery, after the battle of Orthez precipitated the priests in the Gave river by an opening ,the window of the priests, in the downstream parapet, to the right of the key to the main span, In February 1814, those of the Duke of Wellington launched behind the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte in retreat. On February 27, 45 soldiers of the rearguard of the army of the Marshal Soult entrenched in the tower of the bridge resisted for one day the assault of the English army during the battle of Orthez.
The town of Orthez on the Pont Vieux or old bridge : http://www.mairie-orthez.fr/Decouvrir-Orthez/Patrimoine/Pont-Vieux
There you go folks, I come to the gorgeous historical even if the regions are vast apart, the towns were visited at different times, These are two wonderful regions in my road warrior tour of my belle France. The towns here are wonderful full of great architecture and history, that should be visited and more ! Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, part II as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 