Village de La Sauve

A monastic agglomeration developed from the 11th to the 14th century around the imposing Benedictine abbey of Sauve-Majeure. The pilgrimage favors the urban growth of the village. The abbey church which has a Benedictine plan with 5 staggered chapels is dominated by its Gothic bell tower. It is famous for the Romanesque sculpture of its chevet, the work of the greatest sculptors. The village that developed around the abbey had two parishes, one with the church of Saint-Jean and the other with the church of Saint-Pierre. Today, the 13th century church of St. Peter, surrounded by its medieval cemetery, has a sculpted and painted decoration related to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Between the two sanctuaries, there are streets with old houses renovated in the 19th century. The old municipal jail and the market hall are from the same period.