Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule

Legends tell, that in the 6th century a hermit named Porcianus, later known as Saint Pourcain founded a monastery on the height of land overlooking the river. The monastery was restored between 871 and 875 by monks of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Philibert, (today in Loire-Atlantique), who had fled the Noirmoutier Abbey traying to bring St. Philiberts relics into safety from the the Norman raids. They stayed for a couple of years and settled finally in Tournus. The monastery of Saint-Pourçain became a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint-Philibert de Tournus. During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed and its church "Sainte Croix" became a parish church. I had noticed the decline of many stores here several years ago. More and more businesses were given up. The situation obviously did not improve since a Lidl store opened

Legends tell, that in the 6th century a hermit named Porcianus, later known as Saint Pourcain founded a monastery on the height of land overlooking the river. The monastery was restored between 871 and 875 by monks of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Philibert, (today in Loire-Atlantique), who had fled the Noirmoutier Abbey traying to bring St. Philiberts relics into safety from the the Norman raids. They stayed for a couple of years and settled finally in Tournus. The monastery of Saint-Pourçain became a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint-Philibert de Tournus. During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed and its church "Sainte Croix" became a parish church. I had noticed the decline of many stores here several years ago. More and more businesses were given up. The situation obviously did not improve since a Lidl store opened

Legends tell, that in the 6th century a hermit named Porcianus, later known as Saint Pourcain founded a monastery on the height of land overlooking the river. The monastery was restored between 871 and 875 by monks of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Philibert, (today in Loire-Atlantique), who had fled the Noirmoutier Abbey traying to bring St. Philiberts relics into safety from the the Norman raids. They stayed for a couple of years and settled finally in Tournus. The monastery of Saint-Pourçain became a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint-Philibert de Tournus. During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed and its church "Sainte Croix" became a parish church. I had noticed the decline of many stores here several years ago. More and more businesses were given up. The situation obviously did not improve since a Lidl store opened

Legends tell, that in the 6th century a hermit named Porcianus, later known as Saint Pourcain founded a monastery on the height of land overlooking the river. The monastery was restored between 871 and 875 by monks of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Philibert, (today in Loire-Atlantique), who had fled the Noirmoutier Abbey traying to bring St. Philiberts relics into safety from the the Norman raids. They stayed for a couple of years and settled finally in Tournus. The monastery of Saint-Pourçain became a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint-Philibert de Tournus. During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed and its church "Sainte Croix" became a parish church. So this was the church of monastery. The first construction phase started within the 11th century, so romanesque walls can be seen in the nave - in the first bays. Further east the structure is gothic (13th), incl. the radial chappels of the choir. The church got looted and heavily damaged during/after the French Revolution, which is still very visible. During the 19th century the church got reconstructed. The vandals of the revolutions really took pains here and completely destroyed the medieval tympanum.

Legends tell, that in the 6th century a hermit named Porcianus, later known as Saint Pourcain founded a monastery on the height of land overlooking the river. The monastery was restored between 871 and 875 by monks of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Philibert, (today in Loire-Atlantique), who had fled the Noirmoutier Abbey traying to bring St. Philiberts relics into safety from the the Norman raids. They stayed for a couple of years and settled finally in Tournus. The monastery of Saint-Pourçain became a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint-Philibert de Tournus. During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed and its church "Sainte Croix" became a parish church. So this was the church of monastery. The first construction phase started within the 11th century, so romanesque walls can be seen in the nave - in the first bays. Further east the structure is gothic (13th), incl. the radial chappels of the choir. The church got looted and heavily damaged during/after the French Revolution, which is still very visible. During the 19th century the church got reconstructed. A neoclassical facade was added and the bell tower got a new spire.

Legends tell, that in the 6th century a hermit named Porcianus, later known as Saint Pourcain founded a monastery on the height of land overlooking the river. The monastery was restored between 871 and 875 by monks of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Philibert, (Loire-Atlantique), who had fled the Noirmoutier Abbey traying to bring St. Philiberts relics into safety from the the Norman raids. They stayed for a couple of years and settled finally in Tournus. The monastery of Saint-Pourçain became a priory dependent on the abbey of Saint-Philibert de Tournus. In the Middle Ages, the priory prospered as did the city. During the French Revolution, the monastery was closed and its church became a parish church. Seen im the forground in the belfry.

Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule is a nice little town, with a well known wine and an interesting church - and the former Garage Vignau. As you can seen, this was in deed a "MODERN´GARAGE". It is not modern any longer - and soon the garage will be gone.

Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule is a nice little town, with a well known wine and an interesting church. Sainte Croix is a huge church. Once this was the church of benedictian monastery (founded 6th century), of which architectoral traces still can be found around the church. The first construction phase started within the 11th century, so romanesque walls can be seen in the nave - in the first bays. Further east the structure is gothic (13th), incl. the radial chappels of the choir. The church got looted and heavily damaged during/after the French Revolution, what is still very visible. During the 19th century the church got reconstructed. A neoclassical facade was added and the bell tower got a new spire. The gothic apses are interesting, but as they are under reconstruction, I could not take any good shots. The most interesting is the vaulting - from wood.

Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule is a nice little town, with a well known wine and an interesting church. Sainte Croix is a huge church. Once this was the church of benedictian monastery (founded 6th century), of which architectoral traces still can be found around the church. The first construction phase started within the 11th century, so romanesque walls can be seen in the nave - in the first bays. Further east the structure is gothic (13th), incl. the radial chappels of the choir. The church got looted and heavily damaged during/after the French Revolution, what is still very visible. During the 19th century the church got reconstructed. A neoclassical facade was added and the bell tower got a new spire. The gothic apses are interesting, but as they are under reconstruction, I could not take any good shots. The most interesting is the vaulting - from wood.

Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule is a nice little town, with a well known wine and an interesting church. Unfortunately it did not have a helpful person in the "Office de Tourisme", an experience I never had in France before. Maybe I was too late, as I entered the office only 20 minutes before closing time. Standing on the "Place Foch". The belfry to the right, the spire of Sainte Croix on the left. Behind the facade is the "cour des Bénédictins", once the center of a monastery, founded 6th century.