Église Saint-Pierre de Balesmes

Descartes

In the village of Balesmes, the church of Saint-Pierre shows the single-nave Latin-cross plan typical of the region's Romanesque churches, preceded by a porch added in the 18th century. According to Turonensis, it was built in the 11th century, enlarged in the 12th and restored in the 18th; the Mérimée record places the main building campaign in the 12th century. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1908 and belongs to the commune of Descartes, to which the former commune of Balesmes has been attached. Its interest also lies in its setting: it stands near the source de la Crosse, and Turonensis considers it possible that it replaced an earlier church, itself built on the site of a Gallo-Roman temple; no published excavation establishes this. The very name of the village has been linked to that of Belisama, «the very bright one», an important deity of the Gaulish pantheon, connected according to the same source with fire, metalworking and the art of healing. This link of names is not enough to prove an ancient cult on the site; it merely invites attention to the pairing of water and sanctuary found here. Turonensis also records, at Vaugibault, a chapel that was a place of pilgrimage until the 19th century, built near a spring reputed to be miraculous, born, according to legend, from the hoofbeat of a calf; this story does not concern Balesmes.

Wikipédia — Église Saint-Pierre de Balesmes ↗

Getting there : In the village of Balesmes, along avenue François-Mitterrand, in the commune of Descartes. The surroundings are freely accessible (to be checked); the opening conditions of the church are not documented (to be checked).

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound