Bourges
Early morning wanderings
My French apartment
I must get away from crowded cities especially Paris which is intense and I’ve been moving daily town to town last week. I google ‘sleepy traditional small towns’ and it comes down to Auxerre or Bourges. I choose Bourges, about 2 hours south of Paris by train. It has a UNESCO listed cathedral, half-timbered houses and cobbled streets, and fall in love with its medieval ambience immediately. I locate my traditional apartment nestled into the apse of the cathedral and the interior is vastly superior to anywhere else I have laid my head for this trip. It’s traditional, but chic inside, mainly through the sleek IKEA furniture!! Everything works (which is a first) and there is a washing machine so it’s time for some laundry.
The elegant post office
My first day dawns. I open the curtains and push back the heavy traditional French window shutters. The eastern sky is flooded with deep pink and orange ripples and I am drawn to go out and enjoy sunrise. I want this stay to be ‘relaxing’ and I hold myself to that, keeping my pace slow. I sit in sunny gardens under the towering cathedral, browse town for coffee, then a beer in the evening. I visit the cathedral for short periods and enjoy home time in my lovely space.
Bourges Cathedral is a mighty edifice dedicated to St Stephen (stoned to death in 35AD for preaching Christianity) the first Christian Martyr. It was begun in the 1100’s but I feel no need to study and research it - more to just sit and enjoy its massive dimensions - extremely high, long and wide. There are no transepts to interrupt the energy flow east to west and there is a feeling of magic inside. The 12th century stained glass windows around the apse depict old and new testament stories and have that deep colour technique lost in antiquity. Other windows are added during the 16th century but the richness of the colour is absent.
I'm having a beer and notice a lot of people going in and out of the next building. 'this must be somewhere very sacred and veneraated I think!! ' Then look up and notice this beautiful place is the local post office - well thats Bourges!!
I also visit the flamboyant 15th century Palace of Jacques Coeur – a wealthy merchant trader from Bourges who became the treasurer for Charles 7th but fell from grace (some say from jealousy of his wealth).
I’ve enjoyed my meanderings in this quiet town although I haven’t been lucky enough to hear the organ. However there is a summer organ festival so who knows in 2027? I’d like to return here which is not something I say about many places.
Palace of Jacques de Coeur
