Le Douhet - Saint-Martial

In the center of Le Douhet, a village just 12 kms north east of Saintes, is Saint Martial, a 12th century structure, that had to be stabilized by buttresses within the 15th century, when a steeple was built.

The western facade is richly decorated with friezes and archivolts over the portal and the flanking blind arches. There are as well some remarkable corbels. Some of them are weathered, like this "Descent from the Cross". Joseph of Arimathea takes the body of Jesus down from the cross. A 13th century legend tells, that Joseph in his old age travelled to Glastonbury, where he buried the Holy Grail.