Veauce - Sainte-Croix

The 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 in 1115 by pope Paschal II.
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.

This refers to the transept, choir, ambulatory, apses, as this parts of the church were erected in one building phase - and are homogenious and elegant. The nave was added later. It lacks the elegance and was altered a couple of times, before two of the four bays were demolished in 1779, changing the proportions. The capitals here are very simple, compared, what was carved in this area around 1100.

Here are two snakes, sharing one human head. Very symmetrical. Actually there is only a face with hardly any forhead and tiny ears. A beast of horror, with a scary look.