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.

The choir of Sainte-Croix. The altar is centered in the middle of the semicircel created by six pillars, that mark the border between choir and ambulatory. Lots of light comes in through the windows of the ambulatory, behind the pillars and the windows of the arcades in the "second floor". The large suspended lamp, hanging down from the center of the cupola, is probably an addition of the last century.