Center of Medieval Studies

We had a great time visiting Poitiers. Yannick showed us around and the city was amazing. We did and saw so much and we never rushed once. I say this because with the family there’s always this rush energy and it seems to be such an effort to do things. Even changing the children’s clothing becomes a tremendous household chore. Anyhow I guess that’s just family.

So here’s what we did in Poitiers:

We saw the number one University in France during the 16th Century. It’s now famous world wide for medieval studies and Yannick used to teach there. What an amazing place to go to work everyday. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Kai and Deva now seem to think they will be studying there and living with Yannick someday in exchange for doing his dishes and laundry! Aren’t they the deal makers?



We also visited Notre-Dame-La-Grande, Poitiers’ architectural showpiece dating from the 11th and 12th Centuries. The church has several unusual qualities. The columns are painted with intricate patterns which could be described as funky or even psychedelic. It is truly a masterpiece. The church has been recently restored, but originally the outside was painted intricately in bold colors. Nightly they shine colored lights on the church to allow viewers to see how vivid and vibrant the church was originally. The colors reminded Greg and me of a temple we visited in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.



Next was Saint Peter’s Cathedral which houses the last classical organ to be made under the French Ancien Regime. It’s one of the most prestigious and most beautiful in Europe.

Finally we visited the Baptistry of Saint John. This is the oldest Christian monument to worship in the WORLD, dating at 300 A.D. Rebuilt during the Carolingian and Romanesque eras, the Baptistry has stunning Frescoes dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. Another thing that makes it even more amazing for us is that Yannicks friend Serge who stayed with us in Santa Rosa one summer, was one of the archeologists to excavate the site. His drawings are featured in the historical guides.





We also ate pizza, drank espresso in the rain, visited two of Yannick’s friends, and the first house with solar panels in France, ate a fabulous dinner, drank wine, and watched the Bob Dylan movie. Without rushing—-there are few in our present company who understand our pace.

Cheers & Ciao for Now, Gina