Eglise Saint-Etienne

The area occupied by the church of Saint Etienne has been devoted to religious worship since the early Middle Ages. In the 11th century, the donation of this religious establishment to the Order of Cluny was accompanied by the construction of a church now considered to be a masterpiece of Romanesque art. According to Viollet-Le-Duc, Saint Etienne's church is "the most perfect monument left to France by the 11th century".
What is most striking is the architectural unity of the church, between its chevet and the windows illuminating the vaulted nave. Many parts of the church have been destroyed, such as the awning on the façade, a large sculpted piéta on the portal, and the 2 bell towers on the façade. As it appears today, Saint-Etienne's church is the result of developments carried out in the 19th century, a period when the notion of heritage and the issue of its protection and restoration were emerging.
Despite all these alterations, Saint Etienne is one of the best-preserved Romanesque churches in France, and one of the most interesting for the purity of its style and certain architectural features.
The church is open daily from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm in winter and from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm in summer.