The Quiet Appeal of Moissac

Discover The Quiet Appeal of Moissac is written and photographed by Mimi Beck Knudsen.

I’m getting to know the Tarn-et-Garonne bit by bit.  I now have a small list of sites where I have visited and a longer list of places I’ll visit soon.  My most recent trip to this department in south west France included a stop in Moissac, a lovely city in which to spend the day and discover the quiet appeal of Moissac.

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These sculptures by Jean-Louis Toutain can be found in the plaza in front of the abbey in Moissac.
The south west portico of the Abbaye Saint-Pierre in Moissac is considered to be a masterpiece of Romanesque art.
This stainless steel sculpture by STRATOS in front of the Mairie is one of several pieces by the artist in Moissac’s city center.

Known mostly for its remarkable cloister, Abbaye Saint-Pierre, the small city of around 12,500 is fortunate to be situated along the Tarn River and the Canal des Deux Mers.  If the weather is suitable, one can spend some time inside the abbey, and the rest of the day, walking or biking through the streets of Moissac.  The day can include a boat ride too, as the Tarn bateaux operate all year round (check online hours and days of operation).  And of course, one needs to fuel up for the day, and luckily Moissac has plenty of restaurants.  We ate in a bistro on Place des Recollets and had a delicious 13- euro lunch with amazing slice of Basque cake for dessert.

Although we easily found a parking spot a block from the abbey when we arrived in Moissac, we decide to leave our visit to the cloister until last.  After lunch we stroll south to the river.  Along the way we see sculptures by artists Jean-Louis Toutain and Charles STRATOS.

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The Esplanade des Justes in Moissac honors those who sheltered 500-600 Jewish children here during WWII.
Visitors to Moissac may opt for a 45-minute cruise of the Tarn river.
Dating from the Middle Ages, this mill along the Tarn in Moissac was a flour mill-turned luxury hotel.

When we reach the banks of the Tarn, we come across a bit of history that we had been unaware of.  During World War II, hundreds of children taken in by the Jewish organization Éclaireurs Israélites de France (EIF) found refuge in Moissac.  The city and its people offered a haven to these children throughout the war.  The Esplanade des Justes along the Tarn was built to honor the city and its heroic citizens.

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Dating from the Middle Ages, this mill along the Tarn in Moissac was a flour mill-turned luxury hotel.
Ghost-sign advertisements for yummy things can be seen on the side of this building in Moissac.
Doors from Abbaye Saint-Pierre lead to a sunny plaza in Moissac.

Also along the river is a hotel/spa that has a rich history.  Built in 1474, just after the 100 Years War had ended, a mill was built on the ruins of another mill that had recently burned down.  Over the course of several centuries, the mill became the largest in south west France and its flour was considered to be excellent.  But during World War I, the mill burned and the site was abandoned.

During the Roaring Twenties, the mill became a luxury hotel, but it closed at the start of World War II.  It is here that many of the Jewish refugee children lived during the war.  After the war, the mill was briefly a technical school.  Then in the 1970s it was reborn again as a luxury hotel whose famous guests included President Giscard d’Estaing and actress Catherine Deneuve.  The hotel failed again in the 1990s but was purchased and restored.  And so today, Le Moulin de Moissac is once again a popular hotel and spa.

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The cloister of Abbaye Saint-Pierre in Moissac is the oldest in the world.
Inside the cloister of Abbaye Saint-Pierre in Moissac, one can find 76 adorned capitals depicting biblical scenes, saints, or leaves.
Floor tiles in the cloister of Moissac’s abbey are preserved and studied.

We’ve covered a good part of the city during our afternoon stroll and have admired the architecture and understood the quiet appeal of Moissac.  In 1930, a flood devastated part of Moissac’s town center.  The flood killed 120 people and left thousands more homeless.  Dozens of architects from Toulouse helped to rebuild the city, favouring the Art Déco style.  The most notable building from this period is Hall de Paris, and other examples can be found in the Sainte-Blanche district along the Tarn.

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This Reliquaire de Saint Jacques is one of the artifacts on display in the cloister of Abbaye Saint-Pierre in Moissac.
Exhibits such as this at Abbaye Saint-Pierre in Moissac allow visitors an up-close look at the cloister’s capitals.
This sculpture in the Abbaye Saint-Pierre in Moissac is from 1476.

Our visit to Moissac is capped off with a self-guided tour of the cloister at Abbaye Saint-Pierre.  Completed in 1100, the Romanesque-style cloister is oldest and one of the finest in the world.  Here stands 76 capitals, most adorned with scenes from the Bible or from Saints’ lives.  We spend about an hour here, enjoying the peaceful setting and checking out the various exhibits.  Admission to the cloister is 6.50 euros, but entrance to the church is free.  The intricately carved tympanum above the southwest portico depicts Saint John’s version of the Apocalypse.  The abbey and Moissac’s tourism office are open every day except Christmas and New Year’s Day.

A fantastic day out discovering the quiet appeal of Mossaic.