Melle

The lead and silver mines of the town made it the envy of the whole of the Poitou-Charentes region. Since Roman times, Melle was one of the few French cities where the French currency was produced. They were the silver mines of the Frankish kings, so this area has always been at the forefront. There are three churches that you can not miss: St.Hilaire, St.Pierre and St. Savinien. These three are a pure example of Poitou Romanesque. Pay attention to the statue of the mysterious knight of the main facade in the church of Saint Hilaire. It is an enigmatic figure which could represent Charlemagne, Christ destroying the Old Law or Constantine triumphing over paganism.