19 and 20 September

September 2026

Saturday 19
- 10:00 - 18:00
Sunday 20
- 10:00 - 18:00

Église Saint-Michel

Place de l'Église 36140 Lourdoueix-Saint-Michel

Indre

Centre-Val de Loire

Fortified church

Name: Fortified church
Start: 2026-09-19T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-20T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Église Saint-Michel

The only fortified church in Indre

19 and 20 September

©I. Bourdaa

The only fortified church in Indre.

September 2026

Saturday 19
- 10:00 - 18:00
Sunday 20
- 10:00 - 18:00

Additionnal information

Manifestation

Journées Européennes du Patrimoine

About the location

Église Saint-Michel

Place de l'Église 36140 Lourdoueix-Saint-Michel

Indre

Centre-Val de Loire

The parish of Lourdoueix-Saint-Michel which depended on the diocese of Limoges was linked to the Bottom(Stocking) - Berry because it depended on the abbey of Déols. The church owes its birth to an oratory, «oratorium Sancti Michaelis», as points it out its name. This primitive(initial) building had to make room at about the XIIth century for a larger construction. The chorus(choir) is of Romanic style. The nave, wider than the chorus(choir), communicates with him by an opening with Gothic arch(broken bow), a little extended in modern time(period). In the western pine nut(cog), above the entrance(entry), a narrow window in round arch remains(subsists). Its internal splaying, cut by the current vault proves that the nave was higher in former days. Undoubtedly was it covered with a wooden vault stuck on the skeleton? Important reorganisations took place following destructions caused by Hundred Years' War. They were ordered in 1445 by Pierre de Montbrun, bishop of Limoges. A vault of stone divided into 3 spans came replace that of wood. Nervures hollowed out by the crossings of ogives fall again on nerves(caps) in the shape of heads. The vault appears a bit flare but it allowed to leave to remain(subsist) the skeleton above the keys level of which does not exceed(overtake) that of lateral walls. The front-door, which dates the restoration(catering) of the XVth century, is fitted tightly round between 2 very salient foothills. Their role consists in reinforcing the pine nut(cog) because the push of vaults is supported(born) by other foothills placed in the angles of the building. The slanting position in which they are placed allows to attribute(award) them too in the XVth century. These drop shot(trap) foothills from above by 2 successive projections widen then to serve as support(medium) in 2 turrets with pepper-pots. The high part(party) of turrets rests(bases) on ravens who give way to a row of machicolations which allowed to protect the facade of the church. A short path round the battlements, interrupted by a bretèche, connects(binds) 2 turrets. Placed in the axis of the church, the bretèche is provided with machicolations which overhang the front-door. She(It) is sheltered by small one croup which takes support on the pine nut(cog). All in all, the high parts(parties) of the west facade are the equivalent of an element of curtain of medieval fortress. They assume that this facade was connected(bound) with other fortifications which trained(formed) the surrounding wall(speaker) today disappeared from the market town. The walls of the chorus(choir) are raised in a powerful square tower, covered with a roofing in detached house(flag); this tower serves to be faulty, but E. Hubert suggested seeing there a kind of donjon which would have supplemented the military character of the church. Of the north side, a tower of staircase leads(drives) to attic. A hurdy-gurdy side chapel possesses a window concealed by foothills, what points its age(seniority) out. Indoors, it is possible to see in the paving «the grave of an ecclesiastic carrying in half relief the representation of a chalice and of a cross-shaped monstrance». The furniture of the church included moreover 2 statuettes of polychrome wood of the XVIIIth century placed on each side by the altar. The one was the one of saint Blaise, boss of the plowmen, she was hidden, other one that of saints Michel striking the dragon down. The church is registered in conformance with(for) historic monuments (IMH).

September 2026

Festungskirche

Fortified church

Chiesa fortificata

Église fortifiée

Iglesia fortificada

September 2026