Religious heritage
L'ermitage Saint-Etienne
The hermitage of St Etienne, perched at an altitude of 545m, is a place of worship steeped in history. During its life in the open air and through the ups and downs of history, it has been altered several times. Today it comprises a chapel and a small hermitage adjoining it. The hermitage is no bigger than ten square metres and has a small fireplace in one corner. The pre-Romanesque chapel, as confirmed by its east-west plan (like all Visigothic chapels), has a single splayed axial bay to let in the rays of the rising sun. It is 14 metres long and 3 metres wide, with a flat earthen floor. Its roof, originally covered by a simple framework, was vaulted in the Romanesque period by a semicircular barrel vault (perfect half-circumference).
A late campaign of restoration and modification was undertaken in the 18th century, as evidenced by an engraved text dated 1706. The slightly faded remains of a Romanesque fresco are still visible inside the building.
The rich religious heritage of the Avant-Monts
Further south, past Roujan and towards Pézenas, lost in the middle of the vineyards, St Nazaire d'Auberte, with its square, Visigothic chevet, dates back to the 9th century. This example of pre-Romanesque architecture is one of the oldest churches still standing in the region. The remains of St Etienne de Frontignan, further north, between Faugères and Roquessels, date from much the same period.
Lovers of Romanesque art will not want to miss the 2 castral chapels of Notre Dame de Roquessels and Notre Dame de Laroque, in Cabrerolles, St Etienne de Fouzilhon with its typical cul-de-sac chevet, Sainte Marie de Cassan, in Roujan, and its circular bell tower on the 8th bay (the best decorated in the Lower Languedoc). At St Etienne de Pailhès, the austerity of the old stones has been tempered by the addition of recent icons (mid-20th century) by Nicolas Greschny.
At Magalas, the Romanesque origins of Saint Laurent are preserved in the portal, which has 4 columns supporting a large porch. The vicissitudes and hazards of history subsequently affected the initial character of the building. As was the case everywhere, the churches were altered many times, with the Gothic school adding a few touches of ‘modernity’ here and there. From the current appearance of St Jean Baptiste, in Murviel-les-Béziers, to the fortified church in Puissalicon, via Autignac and the Montalaurou chapel (in Pailhès), both built in the 19th century, visitors will be able to measure the evolution of these places of worship. A visit to the Maison du Peuple in Laurens will also reveal the recent history of the ‘pink Midi’. The words ‘Travail &Progrès’ (Work and Progress) frame a Phrygian cap on the facade, remodelled in 1923, of the former church of St Laurent, which opened for worship in 1786 and, 137 years later, was dedicated to other purposes.
Faugères is also steeped in a turbulent history where Catholics and Protestants clashed. The violent diatribes of the 1st half of the 16th century were quickly followed by a fratricidal, bloody and particularly cruel war. From 1577 to 1837, this stronghold of the Protestant religion had 4 temples and still has the founding site (established in a barn) used until 1663, certainly the oldest in France. With the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, the 2nd was demolished in 1688. The 3rd, established in 1795 (after the Edict of Toleration of 1787) in a former tower of the 12th-century château, remained abandoned for over 100 years. Its remains, saved by Mrs Jeanne Colignon, are reminiscent of what is known as ‘the old temple’, probably as opposed to the current building, built by the faithful in 1837.
The chapelle de Montalaurou
Located in Pailhès and dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, the Chapelle de Montalaurou dates back to 1855. It is open two days a year (apart from special events), on 15 August and 8 December.
The Montalaurou chapel, perched on a hill amidst umbrella pines, is a popular place of pilgrimage and dominates the surrounding area, offering astonishing views of the surrounding villages and the Orb valley.
