Saint-Aulais-la-Chapelle - Saint-Jacques

Saint-Aulais-la-Chapelle, a village with a population of not even 300, hosts three Romanesque churches! One of these is Saint-Jaques in the tiny Hamlet of Conzac. Erected within the 12th century as a Cluniac priory church when pilgrims took a break here on their way to Santiago de Compostella. They still had about 1000 kms to walk from here.

The priory and the church got severely damaged during the Wars of Religions. The church, once built on the blueprint of a Latin Cross, lost one arm of the transept, the facade and a large part of the nave.

The 12th century crossing and the apse still exist - and most Romanesque carvings have survived the times-

During the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela the "pelerin" could easily encounter life threatening incidents. He had to anticipate such harmful events and had to be prepared even for the worst. Forests had special risks. There were mythic beasts, chimeras and animals of all kinds, ever growing man-eating creepers ... a jungle full of dangers.

These scenes of growing creepers, green men and mythic animals can often be found in the Poitou.