Parthenay-le-Vieux - Saint-Pierre

Gédouin and Ebo, Seigneurs of Parthenay, invited the monks from "La Chaise-Dieu" in the Auvergne (some 500kms south east), to establish a priory here in 1092. The parish church, that had existed here already before, got replaced then by the church seen now in the early 11th century. Despite the monks roots in the Auvergne the facade is done in the style, common to the area, so they obviously employed master builders with regional experiences.

Meanwhile the priory is out of existence since centuries. The church and the remaining buildings are privately owned, but the church is not locked! Merci beaucoup!

All pillars of the crossing have carved capitals. This one is decorated with two mermaids. Most mermaids seen in the Poitou are members of the more corpulent species, compared to the skinny cousins, found in the Auvergne.

In case, the ladies in the bathtubes, seen on the western facade of this church, refer to Mélusine, the legendary water nymph, connected to the local House of Lusignan, these mermaids (and maybe all in the Poitou) will reflect this tale as well.

The word SERENA is carved between the maids.