Gourgé - Saint-Hilaire

Gourgé, a small village (pop. 950) 12 kms northeast of Parthenay, has a nice parish church. It is dedicated to Saint-Hilaire. According to the information given in Gourgé, the erection of the church started already within the 9th century in pre-Romanesque, Carolingian style. The Romanesque nave is clearly younger, the transept was added within the 19th century. The coats of arms of the local Seigneurs decorate the pillars of the nave. Some of the pillars have capitals with very basic carvings.