Saint-Romain-le-Puy priory and the Romanesque priories of the Forez
Saint-Romain-le-Puy priory was founded in 1007 on a hill in the Loire department. Together with Champdieu priory and Pommiers-en-Forez priory, it belongs to a group of medieval priories in the Forez, a region rich in Romanesque churches in France. This overview introduces each site.
What Is Forez and Where Are the Priories?
Forez is a former province of France, roughly corresponding to the central part of today's Loire department. Its historical capital is Montbrison, and its name comes from the town of Feurs. All three priories described here lie in Forez.
Saint-Romain-le-Puy priory was founded by the abbey of Ainay, while Champdieu illustrates how a village could grow around a monastery. These connections help explain the history of each site.
Saint-Romain-le-Puy Priory: Hill, Crypt and Capitals
The village of Saint-Romain-le-Puy lies about 8 km from Montbrison. It developed on a volcanic hill, reflected in the name le puy, and later moved down to the plain. A Roman road from Lyon to Bordeaux ran through the village, and pilgrims bound for Santiago de Compostela later followed the same road.
Saint-Romain-le-Puy priory was founded in 1007 by the abbey of Ainay as a fortified priory on the hill. The surviving buildings date from the 10th to the 14th century. The priory church is known for its crypt and carved capitals, and parts of the complex were listed as a historic monument (monument historique) in 1862.
A dispute between the castle and the priory lasted for centuries. In 1431, the town was plundered by bands of mercenaries.
Champdieu Priory: Benedictines and the Cloister
The village of Champdieu grew around a Benedictine priory founded in the 9th or 10th century. The priory's layout remains fairly clear: the church and three wings of the adjoining cloister still stand. Construction began in the 11th century. The church has many carved capitals worth examining closely. The fortifications date from the 15th century and were intended to protect the priory from bands of mercenaries.
Pommiers-en-Forez Priory: A Stop on the Pilgrim Road
Pommiers-en-Forez priory was founded before the year 1000. It lies on the route from Lyon to Clermont-Ferrand and is a stop on the road to Santiago de Compostela.
The religious community left Pommiers in 1792, during the French Revolution, and the priory was sold as national property.
Three Priories, Three Histories
These three sites in Forez illustrate different histories of similar foundations: a fortified priory on a hill, a village that grew around a monastery, and a stop on a pilgrim road. This website is an independent source of information and does not represent any of the monuments described.
Saint-Romain-le-Puy, Champdieu and Pommiers share a regional setting and a long monastic past. For more on how these communities functioned, read our explanation of what a priory is.