Sunday 16 October 2011

A Hidden World

Ok - so it's a small world, but it is hidden. It's also very atmospheric, slightly other worldly and a bit strange...

Impasse du Faubourg Saint-Pierre is a long name for a very small road in Beaulieu-lès-Loches. From the main road it looks more like a driveway or farm track that peters out after 50 metres or so. On the maps it looks to be nothing special, as you can see here

It is only on walking the track that you become aware that is has some properties that Susan and I have never encountered before in this area - it enters a tunnel hewn by hand, before emerging into a cutting with caves on each side.

Even from halfway down the track it
appears to be nothing specialSomeone has their cave right
at the entrance to the tunnelYou emerge from the tunnel into a
cutting lined with caves on one side
and what looks like very small troglodyte
dwellings on the otherLooking back the way we came from the
end of the cutting
We assume it was a quarry for the stone from which Beaulieu-lès-Loches is made, but apart from that we know nothing

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love these little secret passage ways and how these troglodyte dwellings are still in use! We've got a few near us in Perigord Noir - it's really like another world entirely!

Anonymous said...

It looks like something from the Hobbit.

I have a real urge to be there.

SP

GaynorB said...

It's now on the list!

Susan said...

Justine: Thanks for commenting - it means I've now discovered your terrific blog, which I like very much.

Niall & Antoinette said...

Definitely a bit otherworldly & a real find. Will have a nose round the next time we're up there.

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