Valréas - Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth

From the 14th century upto the French Revolution Valréas and some neighbouring regions were in the ownership of the Holy See. The region is still called "enclave des papes".

Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth was erected on preceding foundations. Within the 11th century a single nave church in Latin Cross design existed. Two aisles were already added in the 12th century. Numerous enlargements and alterations were done and eight side chapels were added over the centuries.

The apse the oldest existing part, dating to the 11th century. The nave got enlarged by two aisles a century later, but the architecture I see here is rather 13th/14th century. . Under the vaulting of the nave is a strange collection of little figures (see previous upload). Here is a more detailled view. The two men, one is cutting wheat, one is treshing) seem to be have once part of a "Labours of the Months" group standing for July and August.