Romanesque Art in Southern Manche: Album

by Marie Lebert

ROMANESQUE ART IN SOUTHERN MANCHE: ALBUM

MARIE LEBERT

WITH PHOTOS BY ALAIN DERMIGNY AND CLAUDE RAYON

[Author's note: Please forgive my mistakes in English, if any. My mother tongue is French. This album is also available in French, with the title "Art roman dans le Sud-Manche: Album (2)". Click on each thumbnail image to see its larger version.]

001. In this album, there are no monuments described in all touristic guides. On the contrary, these twelve Romanesque churches are little known. They are located in Southern Manche, that is to say in the southern part of the department of Manche, in Normandy, along the coast or in the countryside. These churches were built in the 10th, 11th and 12th century by villagers and parishioners, with local stones - schist and granite - on the medieval roads used by pilgrims to reach Mont Saint-Michel, their final destination after travelling for many months.

002. Southern Manche. The map of the region. From north to south, these blue spots show the churches of Saint-Martin-le-Vieux, Bréville, Yquelon, Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, Angey, Saint-Jean-le-Thomas, Dragey, Genêts, Saint-Léonard-de-Vains, Saint-Loup and Saint-Quentin-sur-le-Homme, without forgetting the beautiful Romanesque gate in Sartilly. This map was digitized by Georges Cercel.