Blog Number one from Moissac . So where in the world is Gabby the motorhome and her motley crew . On another drizzly mizzly day we had parked up at the camping car aire in the middle of Moissac. We to the conclusion that Covid had changed the world and there were few people about , shops had closed and petrol stations were now unmanned . We flew past a few and were driving on fumes by the time we reached our night stop. 9.euros 40 cents later we had entered the spot we would spend the night . We had crossed the very impressive Napoleon Bridge and followed the river to get here . We were within walking distance of the town and its world famous abbey cloisters. There were 43 spots on the camping ground and only half a dozen vans parked up. We had free electricity if we wanted it , a dump and free water . Everything apart from a shower. It had been quite hard to get in . I had to enter our registration a couple of times before the ticket spewed out. It gave us access to the campground and a code
We followed the river and the canal up town. It had a very deserted air to it all . A sort of end of season look with closed up shops, empty cafes and no people about. Perhaps again if the sun had been shining it would have been much more cheerful .
We stopped first at the market halls . Both red brick . Both art deco and both built in the 1930s. Both were not in use . They only opened in the mornings . The huge car park to their fronts was empty. A few people milled about but the town had a sad feeling . There was a large church but this paled to its big brother the Abbey. The church doors as always were locked . We carried on and came to the town square with a cafe and a couple of sculptures of very fat ladies . Strange to see them in front of such an ancient building.
The abbey and its cloisters were supposedly built in by monks under the direction of the sixth century King Clovis .
However recent archaelogical evidence suggested the 8th century as a more likely date . The abbey was at one time affiliated to Cluny. Around the 12th century over 100 monks were in residence . They prayed at 8 services a day and undertook manual work which mainly consisted of copies manuscripts and writing out Biblical texts . 120 of which are now in the French National Library.
The doorway was pretty impressive . Its inspiration came from the Book of Revelations and Christs glorious return to EArth . Most of the abbey porch and tympanum had been built in the 12th century with added height by the 15th. In the middle was the massive Christ in Majesty. He was surrounded by lions, the 24 elders with musical instruments and cups. There were side scenes of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, The Flight into Egypt , Nativity scenes , the Adoration of the Magi , the four evangelists and a number of angels . The seven deadly sins were represented . Some clear to see . Others had been damaged .
After the fuss of the typanum, the porch was plain and now inside it looked as if a painter had gone made on the walls . They were red, blue and green . Full of geometrical shapes . Everything you imagine a medieval church to look like . Not whitewashed over but I felt like Poitiers on speed . We stopped to look at the usual selection of relics , the Baroque style side chapels . We lit a candle in front of a garish Mary . A 15th century Mary of Pity . There were the usual pulpit and altar and a tomb of a long gone bishop. The church though was not what we to see .
