Souillac



The train ride to Souillac through the lush verdant Dordogne Valley was very pleasant. Souillac is a rather small town and I took a stroll around to orient myself. I am staying at Le Pavilion Saint-Martin, a beautifully restored 16th century hotel with massive high ceiling rooms. I feel I am in the middle of history for directly opposite me are the ruins of the former Église Saint-Martin. This church, with its striking belfry still intact, was built in the 15th century but suffered damage during the Wars of Religion between the Catholics and the Protestant Hugenots (1562-98) and was finally abandoned after the French Revolution  (1789).
A further block away stands another amazing church, the Abbaye Sainte-Marie. This Romanesque église with its wonderful Byzantine domes and portal sculptures dates back to the 12th century and was originally a Benedictine priory. I have arranged to hire a car and for the next couple of days I will explore the surrounding villages.

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