Ébreuil - Saint-Léger

Louis the Pious (aka "Louis I the Fair)", King of Aquitaine, the only surviving adult son of Charlemagne, had a castle here.

When in 898, the monks of Saint-Maixent (Poitou) fled the norman invasion, they found shelter in that castle. With them they had carried the relics of Saint-Leger and Saint Maixent, being probably the most valuable possesion they had. The castle was given to the monks by Louis´son, opponent and successor Lothair and transformed into a monastery. Between the 10th and the 13th century, the very large abbey church was erected. Through the pilgrimage to the valuable relics, that were on display here, the abbey got pretty important in medieval times.

Times changed over the centuries. In 1744 "Abbe Sade", uncle of the Marquis de Sade got this abbey as a prebendary. The abbey was financially ruined. Already in 1768, years before the Revolution, the abbey was given up and old buildings were used as a hospital.

Standing in the nave facing east. The total length of the church is - 46 meters. Bernard Craplet ("Auvergne Romane") found five different building phases (961 - 1200). He claims, that the restauration works done in the 19th century destroyed a lot of the original structure.
From this point of view, the nave seems pretty homogenious. Light comes in from the clerestory. The nave was never vaulted. The timber roof truss above is probably very similar to the original roof structure 12th century.