Danse macabre de Meslay-le-Grenet (église Saint-Orien)

Meslay-le-Grenet

In the plain of the Beauce, the small church of Saint-Orien keeps one of the few surviving mural danses macabres in France. On the nave wall, in the middle register, Death leads away the living of every estate, from the pope to the ploughman. Above, three dead men speak to three young lords: this is the Dit des trois morts et des trois vifs, and the verses accompanying the images are painted beneath them. The choir shows the Passion of Christ. The Palissy database dates the ensemble to the late 15th or early 16th century and links it to the engravings published in 1492 by the bookseller Antoine Vérard. The paintings were discovered in 1864 and restored the following year, not without controversy over the painter's choices. They were listed in 1906, the church in 1913. An association of villagers opens the doors.

French Ministry of Culture — base Palissy, peintures murales de Meslay-le-Grenet ↗

Getting there: Place Jean-Moulin, 28120 Meslay-le-Grenet, south-west of Chartres; opening provided by the association Amis de Meslay-le-Grenet, free entry; times not guaranteed, to be checked (C'Chartres Tourisme).

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

Ambient sound