Paris1972-Versailles2003

In my road warrior ways of my belle France, I have come to meet many small towns that really makes France, the best, In one of my favorite regions, Glad to have found me again pics in my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me, Therefore, here is my take on this is Rioux !! Hope you enjoy it as I.

The village of Rioux is located in the department no 17 of Charente Maritime, in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region of my belle France, This is a small village and hard to find tourist info, did my best, me think, It is in a prime tourist area thus which we passed and stop on several occassions, The village is 30 km from Royan, 15 km from Saintes, 88 km from Angoulême, 112 km from Bordeaux, 482 km from Versailles, and 395 km from my current home, In my road warrior trails I stopped here on my way home from Bordeaux, by the rocade road A630 to connect with the A10 autoroute de l’Aquitaine crossing the Dordogne river dir Paris to exit/sortie 36 to connect with the D732 road dir Gémozac and go around this town on same road to a roundabout bear right onto the D143 road or Route de Cravans, once in village of Cravans bear right onto the D216 or Rue du Moulin Neuf continue entering Rioux by the Rue de Cravans bear right onto Rue de Saintes for parking and the Church Notre Dame,

The 12C Church of Notre Dame is one of the marvels of Saintonge Romanesque art. The façade is remarkable, despite its bell tower porch. Its portal, whose archivolts are finely decorated with geometric and plant motifs, is surmounted by the Virgin in Majesty holding the infant Jesus in a mandorla supported by four angels, now almost entirely lost. A portion of a wing can still be discerned at the top, and the hands at the bottom of the mandorla. The apse, or chancel, is a true work of art. It offers the originality of a simple five-sided apse with buttresses columns adorned with bays featuring highly varied decoration: stylized designs, arabesques, acanthus leaves. Stones are laid in oblique patterns, zigzags, and fish-scale patterns. Here, one finds all the ingenuity of Romanesque art. On the upper floor, there is a very rich arcade with small columns of all kinds, plus a decorated cornice between the modillions with human or monstrous figures.

Inside the Church of Notre Dame, you enter under a porch or narthex that did not exist before the 15C. In the chancel, a few white stones in a semicircle mark the site of an earlier sanctuary, probably from the 9C, whose foundations are preserved in the current paving. To the left is the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, a former lordship chapel added in the 15C. The chapel, formerly the chapel of St. Germain, part of which has been converted into a sacristy. The magnificent 17C fireplace, which adorns the sacristy, comes, according to the writings of Canon Tonnelier, from the former living quarters of the monks of the priory of Jorignac.

The Halles or Market at Place des Halles, dating from the 15C and remodeled in the 19C. The tradition of Rioux fairs continued until the 1970s.

Other things to see here are the 18C houses, the 15C, Château de Rioux, partly rebuilt in the 17c. A fixed two-arched bridge replaced the drawbridge. Within a rectangular enclosure surrounded by moats, reinforced by curtain walls that were equipped with gun ports, the main building is preceded by a lower courtyard. It is a single-story building with narrow openings, above a basement without openings, and covered with a gabled roof of flat tiles. On the courtyard side, a polygonal stair tower has been razed. Two cylindrical towers flank the other facade, one with a parapet walk, the other with a pepperpot roof, and a small square tower with a slate roof abuts the center of this facade. I have read it is closed to visitors,

One interesting spot which not visited but worth the detour, me think is the étang des Brousses or pond, You have a walk behind the above church and, via the Impasse de l’Église ( cul-de-sac), reach the D216 road or Rue de Cravans. At the wayside cross, turn left onto the D248 road or Rue du Calvaire. Continue along a wide path between the fields. Turn right, follow the edge of the woods, and reach Bénigousse. After 50 meters on the main street, turn right between the houses and climb up the other side of the valley. Pass left between the vineyards. Follow a small road to the right, heading due west. Cross the D216 road , and continue along a path between the vineyards. To reach the Brousses Pond,

The town of Rioux on its heritage : https://www.rioux.fr/tourisme-et-patrimoine/patrimoine/

The Charente Maritime dept 17 tourist office on its heritage : https://www.guide-charente-maritime.com/en/tourism/discover/tourist-sites.html

The Communauté de Communes de Gémozac et de la Saintonge Viticole , see Rioux : https://cdc-gemozac.fr/villages-et-eglises-romanes/

There you go folks, a dandy quant town of my belle France on the off the beaten path routine. It is on my favorite route and glad finally stop by with pictures.  Again, hope you enjoy the post on this is Rioux !! as I

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