Blasimon - Abbaye Saint-Nicolas

The Benedictian abbey in Blasimon, dedicated to Saint Nicolas, was probably a "filiation" of the abbey in Saint-Jean-d’Angély (180kms north). Since 1166 it was linked to the Abbaye de La Sauve-Majeure (50kms west, near Bordeaux). Just like Sauve-Majeure, the Abbaye Saint-Nicolas is in ruins.

The once large complex was erected between the 12th and the 15th century, but only a pigeonnier, the church and a small part of the cloister have survived.

Many churches in the area, erected in the late 12th century (eg Castelviel), were built after the "model" of this portal.
No tympanum, just lavishly decorated, carved archivolts. This is the larger central arch with the wooden entrance doors. There are six large archivolts, three of them are floral. The outer one (damaged on the right side) depicts a hunting scene. Dogs a fighting a deer, while the hunters approach the scene with spears. One hunter (left) holds a horn. Below four heavily armed figures, standing on creatures. Archangels? The inner archivolt has small angels, centered around a ring (sun?).