1 DAY | TRANSROMANICA Short Trip to Paray-le-Monial and along the Romanesque Ways in the South of Burgundy

Basilica Sacré Coeur of Paray-le-Monial | Picture: CEP Charolais-Brionnais

MORNING: Meet up at Montsac, at the head office of the Centre d’études des patrimoines (CEP), in Saint-Christophe-en- Brionnais. We start the day with a visit to the Basilica of Paray-le-Monial, a unique image in Burgundy of the great Abbey Church of Cluny III, destroyed after the French Revolution. We travel on to discover the tympanum of the Church of Montceaux-l’Etoile, one of the most beautiful sculptures on the circuit of the Romanesque churches of Brionnais. Before returning to Saint-Christophe-en-Brionnais for lunch, we visit the Church of Anzy-le-Duc, a masterpiece completed from the point of view of architecture and sculpture, with a crypt of the 11th century. The capitals of the churches in the Brionnais Region often represent the struggle between the forces of Good and Evil, whereas on the tympana, Christ in his Majesty evokes the end of the history of the world in the final vision of the Apocalypse.

LUNCH: Return to Saint-Christophe-en-Brionnais. The Tour d’Auvergne restaurant welcomes you with its traditional cuisine, in the heart of a village famous for its livestock market.

Church of Anzy-le-Duc | Picture: CEP Charolais-Brionnais
Tympanum of the Church of Montceaux-l’Etoile | Picture: CEP Charolais-Brionnais

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTERNOON: We continue the day with a visit to Semur-en-Brionnais, the historical capital of Brionnais and one of the “most beautiful villages of France”. The presentation of the site includes the exteriors of the medieval castle, followed by a visit to the Romanesque church of the 12th century. Next stop of our tour will be the Romanesque Church of Saint-Julien-de-Jonzy which hosts one of the last tympanums carved in Brionnais at the end of the 12th century. A magnificent panorama allows a view of the wooded Brionnais countryside from the terrace of the old cemetery. The journey continues to Montsac where we visit the Museum School. To learn more about the region and its vast Romanesque heritage we finish the day discovering the permanent exhibition “Les Chemins du Roman in South
Burgundy” (The Romanesque ways in the south of Burgundy), followed by a friendly moment with the team of the CEP (heritage studies centre).

DINNER: A lot of options are available. Enjoy a regional meal at one of the traditional restaurants of South Burgundy.

Church of Semur-en-Brionnais | Picture: CEP Charolais-Brionnais
Tympanum of the Church of Saint-Julien-de-Jonzy | Picture: CEP Charolais-Brionnais

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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