Aire-sur la-Lys to Saint Venant

Lots of walking today.  Soon after 8.00 I set off to take a look at the town of Aire-su-la-Lys.  Well worth it.  For a start there was a market in the Grand Place, where I bought some “paté de lapin” (rabbit paté) and the kind man at the "chacuterie" stall gave me a small piece of delicious garlic sausage for free.  

The poultry market

Rotten piccie, sorry!  There were dozens of cages of poutlry, of every variety, size, shape and colour.  Wish I knew what I was looking at.

Just a small secrtion of one of the many veggie/fruit stalls

But, apart from all the other intriguing sights, I was amazed at the church.  

The tower is extremely high but it is the interior that is so remarkable.  Until now all the churches and catherdrals I have seen have been just plain stone, beautifully carved of course, but this one was painted, every square inch.  Now the colours have faded and large chunks have fallen away, but in its day it must have been outstandingly beautiful.  I was gobsmacked.  I am so sorry my photos cannot do it justice.

The entrance with the organ loft above.  The ceiling is painted blue and the walls have an intricate mosaic patterm 

This is a chapel in the side aisle with murals telling a story

This section in the chancel was covered in gilt

The belfry

Originally built as a quards' room, it soon became the bailiff's court.  Now the Information Office.

A waterwheel, rebuilt in the 1990's and still working.

At 10.30 we set off, leaving the big, wide Grand Gabarit canal for the narrow and enchanting Lys River.

Turning off the Grand Gabarit into the Lys River

A lift bridge!  We haven't seen a mobile bridge since we left Belgium over 2 months ago

It's quite narrow even at its widest...

...and when the trees overhang, it is really narrow

A riverside cottage

We stopped at the marina in Saint Venant, but it is called the Port de Plaisance d’Haverskerque (the town on the same side of the river as the marina, but the town of St Venant is closer!).  It is a beautiful marina, full of well kept flower gardens, a very efficient capitainerie, and not expensive.  It caters to maximum 13.5m long boats and costs €11/night.  Water, electricity and showers are extra. (Gee, it was good to have a proper shower again!)

The town is quite interesting especially if you have ties to Portugal.  For most of the First World War it was behind the front line and the British High Command set up their base here in a the Chateau de la Peylouse.  In 1917 the British moved elsewhere and the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps move into the chateau and bore the brunt of the final German offensive of the war, Operation Georgette, in the early summer of 1918, which was fought along the Lys River.  I never knew the Portuguese fought on the side of the British/French in WW1.

An information panel about the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps

Chateau de la Paylouse

The Sigfrid Sasson Wall.  My favourite poet.  I had no idea he was stationed in this area.

There are numerous narrow canals through the town.

The imposing church, unfortunately it was locked

And this town also has a watermill.