Châtel-Montagne - Notre-Dame

In 1082 some Seigneur Dalmas and his wife Étiennette gave all the properties they owned in "Castrumin Montanis", including a church, to Cluny. This legal act was important enough to get an official approval from Pope Urban II in 1095.

A priory was set up - and a small church was erected. Parts of this church can still be found in the church seen here, built 1100 - 1200. The priory never really flourished, the community of monks was small - and already from 1462 on, the church was used as a parish church.

The church, a basilica with a transept, is quite large for a small, remote village (pop well under 500). When it was planned in this dimension, during the boom of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella, Châtel-Montagne was ideally placed on one of the many "Chemin de St-Jacques" in France. This one connected Vezelay (via Nevers) to Clermont (and Le Puy). The church is built from local grey granite, what is quite a difference to the golden, soft sandstone used in the nearby Brionnais.

Note the huge narthex on the left. The length of the total structure is 41,35m.