Wandering around Talmont-sur-Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. A taste of this beautiful village

We visited Talmont-sur-Gironde in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France in March 2024, it is officially listed as one of the "most beautiful villages of France" and labelled “Small city of character”. The picturesque village of Talmont-sur-Gironde is perched on a promontory on the Charentais coastline forming a peninsula at the edge of the Gironde estuary, this old fortified city surrounded by ramparts and its remarkable heritage is certainly is well worth visiting if you are in the area. The village is about 15 kilometres south-east of Royan.
Surprisingly perhaps given its position, Talmont was founded as an English bastide town in the 13th century and the layout of the streets now is more or less the same as it has been for the last 700 years. Leave your car in the large car park just outside Talmont-sur-Gironde: the streets of the village are narrow and to be explored on foot. The village is situated on a small peninsula and there is a footpath along the coast around the village - you can start by following these ramparts around the outside of the village. There are several viewpoints across the Gironde estuary along the way, and you will also see the ruins of a tower called the 'Tour Blanche' and the Talmont Church of Saint-Radegonde.
Talmont-sur-Gironde is best known for this lovely 11th century church, built in the Roman style and next to a small cemetery, that stands at the head of the promontory right on the edge of the cliffs. The facade of the church was rebuilt in the 15th century after the original facade fell in the sea. Apart from its location, the church also has some highlights to discover such as the ornately carved entrance, and some fascinating carvings of animal heads just below roof level. You can learn more about the history of the church and of the fishing industry in Talmont-sur-Gironde in the small local museum (small entry charge payable). If possible try and see the church at sunset when its colours are most attractive.
The architecture of the outside of Church Sainte-Radegonde includes the original 12th century chevet at the rear of the church, and an impressive facade on the north side of the church, with a row of blind roman style arches above the church entrance, which also has arches with carved stone. The arches either side of the doorway represent heaven and hell and the central arches show an animal on a leash and various human characters as well as a symbolic lamb. There are further carvings around the chevet of the church, although these are in very poor condition except for those that were added as part of a renovation project in the 1960s.
Inside the church of Sainte-Radegonde is more modest in design, partly because the part of the nave that collapsed in the 15th century was not replaced, so the church has lost its original "latin cross" layout. You can see some carved capital stones, statues of Sainte-Radegonde and Sainte-Thérèse, and ship that was given to the church in the 19th century as a tribute and offering to those who risk their lives at sea.
Next to the church, the cemetery for Talmont-sur-Gironde is charming, with flowers growing in profusion among the ancient gravestones. The views along the coast from the cemetery and church are impressive, with white cliffs in both directions.
After completing the tour of the ramparts you can explore the narrow streets of Talmont-sur-Gironde to see the low attractive whitewashed houses, reminiscent perhaps of small villages in Greece. Among the narrow streets you will find several small shops and cafes.
Stilt fishing huts are named 'carrelets' in French and are quite popular along the coast of the Charente-Maritime. During high tide a rectangular net is lowered vertically into the sea from the stilted hut. After remaining a few minutes submerged the net is quickly lifted by means of a winch thus trapping the fish between it and the surf. These beguilingly delicate structures are so fascinating and so photogenic.

[@romainb6248]

bonjour merci si tu savais comme c'est beau si tu voyais comme c'est beau

[@Pete827sli]

The location and architecture of the church is breathtaking. One of the most beautiful places we have been to in France 🇫🇷