Saturday 17 March 2012

A walk around...Ferrière-Larçon


The sleepy village of Ferrière-Larçon is about 12 km from Le Grand Pressigny and to walk around it is to walk back in time. The village like a lot of its neighbours seems to have reached maturity and decided that  no further ageing is required - it would make a perfect film set.




Its 12th century church is dedicated to no less than two saints Saint Mande and Saint Jean and is far too grand for such a small village. The reason for this is that the village became a place of pilgrimage over the centuries with visitors flocking to the 'miraculous well' located behind the church. The information board near the well doesn't give much away but its Saint Mande's doing - an Irish saint apparently who ended up here (?) and provided a well whose water cured many an ailment including fevers and rickets. 


Bathing in the shallow pool was also supposed to be good for the complexion although it is not recommended nowadays, as you are more likely to be given an ailment rather than being cured of one. This is a shame really as we might have had a spa town to rival La Roche Posay here in Southern Touraine.  


  
The village also has some pretty little houses - this one obviously had no trouble with the 'window tax'

There is a small active 'theatre' in the village which friends have said can put on some very good shows.

'Rue des Caves' which you can see top left in the above pic. has many small troglodyte dwellings.

An interesting little place which, with its Irish saint, its hint of Knights Templar and Roman settlement has an interesting history, Its newly opened restaurant brings it right up to date.

5 comments:

  1. A really interesting visit. Next time we go we'll view it with your post in mind. Thanks.

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  2. Thanks Gaynor, yes, it is worth a second look.

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  3. After an event at the "Petit Théatre"... the night three recorder players performed... we went and had hot chocolate at the restaurant/épicerie... excellent!

    The WV just came up "itster fingdeal"... and it is!!

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  4. It's a lovely little village for a stroll around and we are looking forward to trying out the salon de thé too.

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