According to the earliest written texts Arthur, fabulous King of the Britons, spent a large proportion of his life in France.

Geoffrey of Monmouth's account of the life of King Arthur was written in the 12thC.

Geoffrey Ashe proposes feasible dates for Arthur Riothamus based on exhaustive analyses of all the known texts.

Following on from the early sources of information, more and more questions are thrown up.

There are many aspects of King Arthur’s story that cause controversy. Oddly enough, the one that doesn’t is ‘Avalon’ – the name of Arthur’s last resting place.

The origins of Avallon are very ancient. The area has seen continuous habitation since the dawn of time.

Avallon, Burgundy, doesn’t ring any Arthurian bells because since the earliest times, the people of Avallon have been told that their Avallon isn’t in the running.

Something very significant happened in 1191. The Glastonbury monks dug up King Arthur and Queen Guinevere in Glastonbury Abbey’s cemetery.

What did the scribes of the day say on the French side? Here fact and fantasy converge.

Arthur Riothamus, and what was left of his battle-weary troops, made their escape from Bourges (Avaricum), after their defeat by the invading Visigoths.

The legend of The Chanson de Geste led to the rediscovery of Les Fontaines Salées.

Geoffrey of Monmouth mentions ‘Avalon’ in his History, when he mentions a forge in connection with Arthur’s famous sword, ‘Caliburn’.

The Battle of Valbeton began on a beautiful May morning and was fiercely fought between evenly-matched soldiers.

The ‘official’ history of Vézelay is recorded in a Chronicle written between 1140 – 1160 AD as recorded by Hugues de Poitiers.

In 1891 a medievalist, Paul Meyer, encouraged his promising student, Léon Mirot to do some field work and verify topography in Girart de Roussillon.

‘Avallonnais’ has an intensely powerful atmosphere, and like Glastonbury, attracts the imaginations of those drawn by spiritual matters – of whatever religion.