Discover the preserved heritage of this church and immerse yourself in its fascinating past
The church of Saint-Paul, formerly the chapel of the convent of the Cordeliers monks established here since the middle of the fourteenth century, reveals its rich heritage. The first convent of the Cordeliers was destroyed and then rebuilt inside the ramparts, between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, reusing the stones of the old construction. Thus, this church contains many vestiges of the former convent of Cordeliers. From the 17th century, the building was integrated into a series of houses erected by the Cordeliers brothers themselves, making it barely visible from the outside. However, its magnificent pyramidal bell tower surmounted by a hook arrow stands out, contrasting with the humble arch that still supports the bell of the first convent, visible on the roof. The church is composed of four bays of the nave, accompanied by side chapels built between the buttresses. After the French Revolution, the church was refurnished and today preserves many movable objects from churches or convents in the region. In addition, five works specially created by the Arles painter Jacques Réattu (1760-1833) and his student Augustin Aubert in the nineteenth century embellish this monument. Saint-Paul Church was officially classified as a Historic Monument on February 2, 2005, testifying to its heritage importance.