From the owner: Une porte entre cité et mer C'est l'ancienne porte de l'enceinte qui séparait le port de la cité…read more Elle a été profondément modifiée aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles. En effet, la base massive du XIVe siècle comportait à l'origine deux ouvertures, l'une pour les piétons et l'autre pour les attelages. Aujourd'hui, on ne distingue plus qu'une seule arcade. De plus, ses toits à poivrières ont été remplacés par un dôme orné de pilastres et colonnettes.

After a quick lunch, headed to Royan and walked along by the main beach, the port and the next…read more(smaller) beach. Then back towards the town centre for a look at the controversial Eglise Notre Dame. The concrete structure, built to resemble the prow of a ship, looks severe on the outside. The inside looks more like a church but still the severity is maintained in the angular fittings, e.g. the baptismal font and the holy water fonts near the entrance and in the statutes scattered around. It is definitely 20th century in a town that was itself almost totally rebuilt in the 1950s having been destroyed in the later stages of the Second World War. It is well worth seeing. Many shops are closed as all seem to be preparing for sales tomorrow (June 24th) but we do manage to pick up a few presents before heading back to the gite.