The Manoir de Gisson and Market Day in Sarlat, the Church of St Martin in La Rouquette

Gentle Friends today we went to the Market In Sarlat.  it is a big market the covers most of the old town and you can buy most anything  - food related.  We visited the Manior de Grisson, a restored historic house in the heart of the old city, that is still in private hands......

The Manoir de Gisson, a listed building in the officially protected old quarter of Sarlat, is one of the most remarkable buildings in this medieval town. Formed by two constructions of different architecture, linked with each other by a staircase inside a hexagonal tower, it dates back to the 13th century. Enhancing the building are its aristocratic tower, mullioned windows, and its roofs of locally-traditional lauzes (natural rock slabs which weigh almost 2cwt per square foot), as well as its very unusual colonnaded bay-window crowned by a bulls-eye and its frontages flanked by decorated portals. The vaulted cellars and the apartments, now open to the public for the first time, house an outstanding exhibition on the history of justice from the Middle Ages up to the French Revolution in 1789. This collection of authentic instruments is of international renown, after being displayed in major cities throughout the world. The second part of your visit is devoted to the daily life of the Sarlat nobility and the Gisson family in days gone by. Among their distinctions:Consul, Royal Notary, Knight of the Order of St Louis, and Captain of the Dragoons. You will find magnificent staterooms, antique furniture dating from the Middle Ages to the 17th century, large fireplaces, panelling and parquet floors in precious woods, flooring in medieval pisé form, the spiral staircase and its lofty terrace overlooking the Place des Oies (the one-time goose market) and the alleys of the old town.

... notice the floors....

... the kitchen...

... carved in the over mantle of the fireplace the symbol of the region - the salamander......which BTW was also the personal emblem of King Francis I...

... the main bedroom .....

... and from the window you can see......  the main street with the market going on....

..... a Grisson Lady....  that's some mighty big hair.... or big wig.....

... that was hanging in this bedroom.....

..... again I just loved these pise floors....  these rooms are on the 1st floor (the what we call the 2nd floor in the US)... now on to the market....

..... what super garlics...

... and if I could have gotten some these cheeses home I would have dumped my clothes and filled my suitcase!!!....

.... and then bought another suitcase for some of these wonderful sausages!!!..  I do love a good sausage!!!.

..... some of the beautiful veggies....

... this guy sold us some of the best ham and prosciutto type meats I've ever had......

..... and the bread was just the best.... we got some of this also!!!

..... the old city well.... "Fountaine Sainte-Marie"... you can still drink it as it is fed by a really cold spring.....  after the market we left town to go to La Rouquette......

... the church of Saint Martin......

... the main aisle looking down the nave....

.... a nice Joan d'Arc.....

..... a really neo-gothic alter piece with saints, I am sure one of them was Martin....

....  the Passion of the Christ in stained glass, 19th century....

...... St Louis, Roi de france, who brought the crown of thorns to Paris....

...... the Plaque to the dead from the great War from the town of Bugue but the plaque was in la Rouquette........

That's about it for today sports fans, more tomorrow!!

Take care,

edgar