Village of La Sauve

A monastic agglomeration developed from the 5th to the XNUMXth century around the imposing Benedictine abbey of Sauve-Majeure. The pilgrimage promotes the urban growth of the town. The abbey which has a Benedictine plan with XNUMX staggered chapels is dominated by its Gothic bell tower. It is renowned for the Romanesque sculpture of its chevet, the work of the greatest sculptors. The town which developed around the abbey comprised two parishes, one with the Saint-Jean church; the other with the Saint-Pierre church. Today, the Saint-Pierre church, from the XNUMXth century surrounded by its medieval cemetery, has a sculpted and painted decoration related to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Between the two sanctuaries, streets line up where you can see old houses renovated in the XNUMXth century. The old communal prison and the hall are from the same period.