Meursac - Saint-Martin

Erected within the 12th century the parish church Saint-Martin got severely damaged and partly destroyed during many feuds and wars fought in the Saintonge.

The church got fortified, repaired and rebuilt, so it is no wonder, that by now this is a mixture between "saintongeais" Romanesque style and late Gothic style. The whole apse (not visible from this pov) is Gothic - and somehow out of proportion.

In the 1970s a small crypt was discovered, cut into the stone below the choir. Some see this "cave" as a celtic "panic room", later used as an ossuary - and forgotten.

This elegant (nude) swimmer can be found on the outside wall of Saint-Martin. He wears a swimming cap and clearly swims a forward crawl. - Later I learned, that the crawl stroke was introduced to Europe in the 19th century. Well, this must have been done by a very visionary carver!