Veauce - Sainte-Croix

This wonderful church in tiny Veauce (pop. less than 50) was built within the 11th century. It was given to the abbey of St. Leger of Ebreuil by chevalier Aimon de Veauce, what was approved by pope Paschal II in 1115.
Not much more is known about the early history of this church. The architect obviously was very ambitious and did a great job. So this church is sometimes compared with Notre-Dame de Saint-Saturnin. For Bernard Craplet, author of "Auvergne Romane", this is one of the nicest and most interesting churches in the Bourbonnais, mixing architectural influences of the Limagne and the Auvergne.

Standing in the nave, facing east. Sainte-Croix, built from whithe limestone, has the "traditional" layout of a Latin Cross. The transept, the choir and the ambulatory are all built in a very homogeneous style within one building phase. Note the cupola over the crossing.