Saint-Hilaire - Abbaye de Saint-Hilaire

An abbey, dedicated to Saint Saturnin, first bishop of Toulouse, is mentioned already in 825. In 870 the relics of Saint Hilaire, who had evangelized the region in the 6th century and was the first bishop of Carcassonne were "translated" to the abbey.

During the Albigensian Crusade the monks were accused of heresy - and the abbey got looted. It got re-established, but the plague and the Hundred Years' War caused more difficulties to the abbey and the village around it. The fortifications erected at that time did not prevent severe damages during the Wars of Religions.

After a period of decline, the abbey closed in 1748, since then the church served the parish of the village.

Most visitors enter the former abbey-church, built within the 12th century, to admire the "Sarcophagus of Saint Sernin" carved by the "Maître de Cabestany", but there is more to see.

Here are two corbels.

At first I had the impression to look into the wrinkled faces of apes. Then I doubted. Apes? Monkeys? Humans? As I found another monkey nearby - apes.