We wake early and it is much warmer this morning than recent nights.
Ali visits the shop and buys bison cassoulet and saucisson then we say goodbye to the French couple we have been with for two nights and set off for Saint Savin.
When we arrive in the town centre it is almost deserted, the huge central square lined with pollarded trees has only a dozen or so cars in it and we can park right beside the abbey.
The abbey’s church is famous for its paintings, and is nicknamed ‘The Romanesque Sistine Chapel’ but we were totally unprepared for what lies inside.
First impressions are of how light it is. Although of typical construction with columns and vaulted ceilings, the walls and ceilings are painted white with a brick style pattern outlined in red. Around the walls are painted friezes which appear as embroidered cloth until looked at closely.
Then there are the rows of columns, all painted differently in swirls and spirals of pastel ochres, greens, blues and mauves. If you stand at the right angle, lining them up to overlap, they appear as a rack of wallpapers turned on its side.
Around doorways are romanesque paintings of flowers and in some niches there are painted saints.
The central barrel vault is completely covered in Romanesque panels of Biblical stories from Genesis and Exodus, apparently painted to teach the Bible when the majority could not read. Flat and two dimensional, the earthy colours are in ancient contrast to the modernism of the columns.
Finally the pale sandstone floor is very worn and uneven.
Around the corner we cross the River Gartempe where there is a spectacular vista of the entire abbey, and just downstream it the original Roman bridge.
Leaving Saint Savin we drive to Le Blanc but the aire there is disappointing so we use it service point and head along the D950, which runs right alongside the river Creuse on one side and white rocky outcrops beside us.
It’s not far to Tournon St Martin where the aire is much more peaceful. We are near a former mill house, now a large gite. Just across the road is a row of trees and the wide river. There is a huge expanse of flat calm water reflecting the sky and clouds but further out it cascades noisily over a longitudinal weir into a rafting course.
The only sounds are the weir and many types of birdsong.
A couple motorhomes come to use the services but don’t stay, probably weekenders heading home.
In the evening there is a beautiful sunset over the river, later tonight as the clocks moved to summertime last night.
As darkness falls we enjoy a tasty steak dinner.