Église Saint-Blaise-Saint-Roch

English translation

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History

The church Saint-Blaise was built at the end of the Hundred Years War (between 1453 and 1473), other elements of interior decoration are reputed to be from the early 16th century, notably the hanging keystone of the choir, the font bowl dated 1535. From the ultimate medieval period also remain paintings located on the vaults and tympanums of the crossing of the transept discovered by Jean-Gabriel Mortamet during the restorations of 1978. The church Saint-Blaise visible today is essentially from campaigns of work in the 15th and 16th centuries but the bell tower was rebuilt in 1735. A partial reconstruction in 1840 is nevertheless not negligible; the addition of part of the nave and the sacristy changed its orientation.

Description

Parish church Saint-Blaise, constructed in yellow limestone stone of the Monts d'Or, whose old parts (choir) date back to the early 16th century (1530?/1540?), the nave having been rebuilt in neo-Gothic style in the mid-19th century. The choir is composed of a square bay, vaulted on rib vault, with formerets arches whose ribs rest on the four animals symbols of the evangelists (very damaged) which crown the top of the engaged columns. It is lit by three openings (the eastern opening has flamboyant tracery). The great attraction of this choir is its hanging keystone of the vault, monolithic, composed of a core with the four ribs starting. The core extends in a highly ornate spike to end in a circular cabochon whose underside bears the Mystic Lamb. Three faces of the spike bear the statues of the Virgin and Child, of Saint John Baptist and of Saint Vincent, standing on a shield. The end of the spike is linked to the ribs by four arches forming four trefoils in cross, each bearing midway an angel holding a scroll. The bay before the choir, vaulted on rib vault, opens to the south by a pointed arch on a small chapel of the same style, with the four evangelists at the ribs' resting places. On the vault and tympanum of the transept crossing, painted decoration is preserved: it represents scenes with nimbed characters including Christ in majesty surrounded by winged angels; above the arch, in a niche, three characters (prophets) each show a scroll with inscriptions (this decoration may be dated to the late 14th-early 15th century). The altar is in gilded wood with a frontal in Cordovan leather. The bell tower storey which was remade, probably late 18th-early 19th century, is pierced with a round arch opening on each face. It has a roof in ship's carving with terminal spike, which harmonises with the chevet.