A Visitor's Guide to Carolingian France: Burgundy
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Alise-Ste-Reine is a small community best known as the site where Vercingetorix made a stand against the Romans. His army was defeated and the plateau he defended became a Roman community. It also has a small 7th 10th century church that has been fully restored. One of the walls is Merovingian in origin (on the right of the interior view). The first church was constructed between 678 and 720 but is was burned by the Vikings and rebuilt in the 9th and 10th centuries. The picture on the left is an exterior view of this 'eglise primitive' and the one on the right is the apse from the rear. Below them is an interior view.
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Here is a schematic of the church, showing the addition of a later baptistery on the right. The interior sculptures are later.

One of the pleasures of visiting old churches, in addition to the architectural treasure, is the discovery of interesting people and memorials. Burgundy is known for its gastronomic pleasures, and often a good meal starts with a kir. This is a blend of syrup de cassis and Bourgogne Aligote. This drink is a relatively new invention and was popularized by Canon Kir in the 1950s. He was interested in supporting farmers who grew cassis and wanted to increase the use of the syrup of cassis. He was born in Alise Ste Reine in 1876 and died in Dijon in 1968. He is buried in Alise and there is a memorial to him at the church. Merci Chanoine Felix Kir.

Alise-Ste-Reine is about 260 km SE of Paris. It is pretty much on a straight line between Auxerre and Dijon. Semur en Auxois is nearby and is a good base of operations to visit the area.
*** Auxerre: The Abbey of St.
Germain.
Auxerre
is delightfully situated on the banks of the Yonne. The cathedral of St.
Etienne dominates the skyline and is worth a visit. It dates from the 13th
- 16th centuries. For Carolingian fans, you want to head for the nearby
Benedictine abbey of St. Germain. The abbey dates from the 6th century
and naturally has been extensively rebuilt over the centuries. The visible
church is generally 13th 15th centuries, but the crypt goes back to Carolingian
times. The crypt, actually a half buried church you can see out the crypt
windows has got a central nave and two side isles. The barrel vaulting
is Carolingian, as are the frescoes in the ambulatory, which date to 850.
The oldest part of this crypt is actually a series of four Gallo-Roman
pillars. Given its age, there is, not surprisingly, a variety of styles
here, including Carolingian, Romanesque and Gothic. This is a site well
worth the visit if you are in the area.

The
sketch shows the layout of the crypt. The oldest part is in the lower center,
marked '1'. The pillars are Gallo-Roman and the four capitals are Carolingian.
It has the distinctive barrel vaulting of the era. We were alone in the
crypt and sang Gregorian chants. The acoustics are wonderful and the feeling
very evocative of the age.

These
are other sections of the crypt. If my notes are correct, the chapel at
the far left (marked '2' on the map above), has frescoes dating from the
middle of the 9th C. The closer picture is a newer part of the crypt. There
are Carolingian, Romanesque and Gothic elements in the crypt and it is
definitely worth a visit.
Auxerre is 166 Km SE of Paris, just
off the A6.
Charlieu: Benedictine Abbey
The
abbey dates from about 872, just at the end of Charles the Balds reign.
It became a Cluniac center and the abbey was rebuilt in the 10th and 11th
century. That would have been ok, but the newer construction did not survive
the Revolution (1789) and it was secularized and destroyed. What is left
is the imprint of the church in the ruins, with the footings for a 9th
century wall and several 10th century pillar bases. It takes an active
imagination to see what this once was. Yet Conant (97) notes an ambulatory
with an upper gallery with windows to light the aspe at Charlieu (c 950)
and pictures (216) the outer portal of a 12th C. narthex. I'm unclear if
there is anything Carolingian here other than foundation stones. This site
schematic is from Michelin Burgundy/Jura 146.
Charlieu is 400 km from Paris. It
is in a triangle bounded by Macon, Roanne and Paray-le-Monial.
Curtil: Merovingian Necropolis
This small necropilis is located about 10 miles WNW from Tournus as the bird flies, further by road. It is not really worth the trip unless you're a fan of Merovingian burial sites, but worth a stop if you are in the area. It is under a protective cover on the side of a hill. If you visit, you're like to have the site to yourself, always a pleasant experience.
**


Flavigny
is
also in the vicinity of Semur-en- Auxois. It is about 14 km E of Semur
and just south of Alise Ste Reine.
* Fontenoy (Battle of): Please visit the separate Battle of Fontenoy page for a description of the events leading up to the battle, coins of the participants and pictures of the battlefield today. The battle field is about 35 km SW of Auxerre. It is due south of Touche (which is on the D965). There are lots of small roads in the area, marked so-so.
* Nevers: Cathedral of St-Cyr-et-Ste-Julitte
(for a larger version of this coin, click
here)
Charles the Bald (875-77) or Charles the Fat (884-87) AR denier, 20mm, 1.63gr. Obv: +CARLVS IMP AVG, central cross. Rev: +NEVERNIS CIVIT, central KRLS monogram. Nevers mint (875-7 or 884-7). R1572 (image, not text); MG 1464 (late 9th C of an emperor Charles); Dep 12 D1, 701 (84 examples); MEC 919; Bel 179-80 as Charles le Gros; Nouchy CB245, seller (Vinchon) id as CB.
Nevers
is an attractive larger town on the Loire at the extreme eastern edge of
the Burgundian reach. The view above shows the cathedral dominating the
city skyline. The cathedral has a mix of architectural styles, with some
10th century elements incorporated into the newer Gothic church (up to
16th C.). The experience does not have a Carolingian feel at all, since
the scale is so much larger than their churches, but for these few structural
elements it deserves a mention. The most unusual feature of the church
is an aspe at either end, a not uncommon Carolingian arrangement, particularly
in Germany. Nevers is best known for its ducal palace, built in the
15th century. I should say best known by people looking for signs of the
counts of Nevers. Today the palace is the municipal center and a combination
of offices and galleries. People we spoke to couldn't understand why anyone
would want to come to see the building. Besides, this site comes
with a local Carolingian coin. In a more modern sense, the cathedral is
attractive. If you are in Nevers, also visit the attractive Romanesque
church of St-Etienne.
Nevers is 236 km from Paris, pretty much due S. It is right on the Loire. It is SE of Orleans and W of Dijon, just about equidistance from both.
*** Tournus: Abbey of St. Philibert
*


Tournus
is on the Saone, south of Macon. It is a small town about 800 meters long.
The Carolingian hook is the abbey church. The abbey church of St. Philibert
is worth a trip to Tournus. If you are anywhere in Burgundy, it is worth
the diversion. The façade dates from the 10th and 11th century.
The interior is of a rosy colored stone that is magnificent in its stark
simplicity. It gets my vote as the most engaging church interior in France.
The crypt, accessible from the north transept, dates from the end of the
10th C and was restored in the 19th century. The frescoes in the crypt
date from 12th century. The top picture is the abbey precinct. Note the
two towers in the lower right. I am unsure of their date but another tower
along the old wall of the precinct dates from the early 10th C. There is
a picture of it below. The first series of pictures are of the dramatic
interior of St. Philibert. The nave dates from the 11th C. The picture
to the left is of Tournus with St. Philibert as the dominant structure
in town.

Abbots
of Tournus (12th C)
For a larger image click here
AR denier, 18mm, .919g. Obv: +SCI VALENIAN, central portrait right. Rev: +TORNVSCIO CAST, central cross. R4965, Boud 1197. The abbots of Tournus acquired minting rights and this coin, while later than Carolingian, is from the Abbey.
The pictures are of the Carolingian crypt, and show the central element. the ambulatory and a small chapel. The frescoe below date from the 12th C. Tournus is on the A31 between Dijon and Lyon. It is 360 km from Paris. It is a good central location from which to visit Cluny lots of 11th and 12th C Romanesque churches.

Tournus is a rich town for the Carolingian visitor. This tower dates from after 937 and was built by the abbot Etienne. Burgundy was ravaged by Norman raiders and city defenses were thought to be essential in the 10th C.
In addition to the abbey church, you can also visit the exterior of the 10th C eglise de St. Laurent. This is about a 10 minute walk from the abbey. The chapel is closed to casual visitor and over a four day visit we could not find a way to visit the interior. The exterior has its own charm. The first two pictures are from 2008. The last picture is of the chapel from 1932. While I was walking around the church, I asked a neighboring property owner if I could enter his yard for a picture and he generously said 'oui' and then also gave me this photo.
**


Vezelay
is a delightful hilltop Burgundian town. Richard the Lionhearted and Philippe-Auguste
met here before their departure on the third crusade (1190). The location
of the monastery church dates from the 9th century, and came under Cluniac
rule in the 11th century. The church has been considerably rebuilt in the
12th and 13th centuries. The facade, to the left, reflects a variety of
styles. The crypt was significantly altered in the 12th century, so while
it is a Carolingian site, the experience you have on a visit today is of
a leter time. Nonetheless, it is still one of the impressive Burgundian
crypts and a charming pedestrian town worth a visit. The paintings in the
crypt are new, dating from the 13th century. The pictures below show the
12th C Romanesque nave and the crypt, also dating from the 12th C. Note
the difference in vaulting compared to the Carolingian crypts pictured
for other cities.
Vezelay is 220 km from Paris and
52 km S of Auxerre. You can take the N6 out of Auxerre and turn on the
D951 to Vezelay. The Post et Lion d'Or is a good place to stay. If you're
on the third floor (no lift) you can get a great view of the countryside.
