Well, here’s a Surprise…Up Pompey !

I’d ‘happily’ packed up and left a wet Sazos, and hadn’t quite decided where to go, I had wondered about stopping at St. Gaurens, on my way South East, although it was only about 3 hours away, and still in the mountains, so the weather would still be poor..ah well, decisions,decisions – although one I did make, was that I was going to travel on the ‘Peage’ (Toll motorways), to make my journey slightly easier…

So, less than 3 hours from when I started, I saw a sign for ‘St. Bertrand De Comminges’, as a ‘Great Tourist Site’, and as it was still belting down with rain, I thought I would stop there for a while, look around, have lunch…and carry on – not to be though

I drove off the motorway, following the signs, down some quiet country roads, when up ahead, and above me was the magnificent sight of the Cathedral church, of St Bertrand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges  – a veritable fortress in this quiet backwater of the Haute Garonne , but where exactly was I ? – still not quite sure, but it was a majestic sight, so much so, I even parked up and paid $4 to enter..and made sure of my ‘libre’ audio guide !

I went in via the cloisters. containing some ancient tombstones, and then into the Cathedral proper, which still houses the body of St Bertrand, from  1123, and housed here since the Church was built by then then Bishop Bertrand, during his reign from 1073.. even though the area had few inhabitants, this magnificent church was built, and since enlarged 3 times –although the area was once a great Roman city –more later

The church had several unusual features, a wooden choir built inside the original stone church –keeps the people from the clerics !, and a fabulous altar inside , hidden behind which is the latest tomb of the now St Bertrand, with his head encased in silver, and behind that the rest of his body.. I could go on and on, but more surprises were in store.. I left the Cathedral, wandering back through the by now sunny streets of this ancient town, and drove Wally down to the bottom of the hill, and parked in an area next to the school – I had seen some signs indicating Roman excavations and so ‘went for a nosy’, to discover that I was in the Ancient City of Lugdunum Convernarum, founded by the Roman General Pompey, in 72BC, whilst on his way back from a victorious Spanish campaign, at one stage reaching a population of 30,000 ! and at the crossroads of several Roman roads. What a ‘find’ which has only been unearthed in the 19th C !

I was able to wander round the early Christian church, the market hall and  area ,alongside the remains of a Roman Temple, and significant Rotunda monument, ancient Amphitheatre, capable of housing 5,000 people, several differing Roman Bath houses , all of which were just open to anyone and everyone to wander around, with little if any evidence of damage to the structures…wish it was like this at home !

I finished with a trip down to the river Garonne, to see the remains of the Roman Port..just a rock in the river, and some little evidence of buildings…what a place, and I had just stumbled across it !

Even better, I had spent that much time there, I decided that the parking area, with toilet next to it, seemed ideal to stay the night, evidenced by several other motorhomers turning up later in the day

And so, a very enjoyable day, even better it being the second ‘free night’ camping I’ve had in a row !

-where will tomorrow bring ?

-I don’t know, I’ll tell you when I do..Bonne Nuit

a couple of things did happen later that I thought I would share with you, firstly the local farmer let the sheep graze next to me, bells ringin’- I said it was rural, and later on I decided to go for a walk around, hoping for darkness, howver darkness didn’t really come until well after 10..by which time I was tucked up in bed, although I did get a few glimpses of the stars during the night..and the Cathedral lit up..