Franche-Comté

Just opposite the "Basilique Notre-Dame de Gray", where since the 17th century a miraculous statue of "Our Lady" is venerated, somebody loves orchids and has arranged the flowerpots in a former shop window. There was even a surveillance camera once..

Saint-Lothain (aka "Lautenus") was a monk in the Abbey "Saint-Symphorien" in Autun, before he settled here in the 5th century to live a pious hermit`s life. His reputation spread and so he was soon joined by many followers and founded an abbey in 480 on the site of the present church of St. Lothain. When just too many monks had gathered here, a priory was founded nearby. Both monastaries were ruined by Viking invaders around 888. The monastery here existed upto the French Revolution, when the buildings were sold as national property. The church, erected within the 11th/12th century (but remodeled later) serves the parish since that time.

Saint-Lothain (aka "Lautenus") was a monk in the Abbey "Saint-Symphorien" in Autun, before he settled here in the 5th century to live a pious hermit`s life. His reputation spread and so he was soon joined by many followers and founded an abbey in 480 on the site of the present church of St. Lothain. When just too many monks had gathered here, a priory was founded nearby. Both monastaries were ruined by Viking invaders around 888. The monastery here existed upto the French Revolution, when the buildings were sold as national property. The church, erected within the 11th/12th century, serves the parish since that time. The church got remodeled a couple of times and the nave now has some classicistic touch.

Saint-Lothain (aka "Lautenus") was a monk in the Abbey "Saint-Symphorien" in Autun, before he settled here in the 5th century to live a pious hermit`s life. His reputation spread and so he was soon joined by many followers and founded an abbey in 480 on the site of the present church of St. Lothain. When just too many monks had gathered here, a priory was founded nearby. Both monastaries were ruined by Viking invaders around 888. The monastery here existed upto the French Revolution, when the buildings were sold as national property. The church, erected within the 11th/12th century, but remodeled later, serves the parish since that time. Under the choir is a crypt, that dates to the 9th century and may have existed, when the Vikings raided the area. Kept here is the sarcophagus, that contains the remains of Saint-Lothain.

Saint-Lothain (aka "Lautenus") was a monk in the Abbey "Saint-Symphorien" in Autun, before he settled here in the 5th century to live a pious hermit`s life. His reputation spread and so he was soon joined by many followers and founded an abbey in 480 on the site of the present church of St. Lothain. When just too many monks had gathered here, a priory was founded nearby. Both monastaries were ruined by Viking invaders around 888. The monastery here existed upto the French Revolution, when the buildings were sold as national property. The church, erected within the 11th/12th century, but remodeled later, serves the parish since that time. Under the choir is a crypt, that dates to the 9th century and may have existed, when the Vikings raided the area. Kept here is the sarcophagus, that contains the remains of Saint-Lothain.

Saint-Lothain (aka "Lautenus") was a monk in the Abbey "Saint-Symphorien" in Autun, before he settled here in the 5th century to live a pious hermit`s life. His reputation spread and so he was soon joined by many followers and founded an abbey in 480 on the site of the present church of St. Lothain. When just too many monks had gathered here, a priory was founded nearby. Both monastaries were ruined by Viking invaders around 888. The monastery here existed upto the French Revolution, when the buildings were sold as national property. The church, erected within the 11th/12th century, but remodeled later, serves the parish since that time. Under the choir is a crypt, that dates to the 9th century and may have existed, when the Vikings raided the area. Kept here is the sarcophagus, that contains the remains of Saint-Lothain.

Saint-Lothain (aka "Lautenus") was a monk in the Abbey "Saint-Symphorien" in Autun, before he settled here in the 5th century to live a pious hermit`s life. His reputation spread and so he was soon joined by many followers and founded an abbey in 480 on the site of the present church of St. Lothain. When just too many monks had gathered here, a priory was founded nearby. Both monastaries were ruined by Viking invaders around 888. The monastery here existed upto the French Revolution, when the buildings were sold as national property. The church, erected within the 11th/12th century, but remodeled later, serves the parish since that time. Under the choir is a crypt, that dates to the 9th century and may have existed, when the Vikings raided the area. Kept here is the sarcophagus, that contains the remains of Saint-Lothain. The plaster of this wall in the crypt must have been fresh mid 19th century, as the oldest dates I found were carved in around 1850.

A small oratory existed here before the 9th century. This chapel got replaced by a large Romanesque church. When the still existing Romanesque tower was built around 1220, the church had three naves and was 80 meters long. It belonged to a priory, but was used as well by the parish. As it was placed outside the city walls, so the building suffered a lot during wars. The priory was given up in the 15th century - and the already ruined church crumbled. Only the tower, the choir and two bays of the nave survived. The doors were locked, as the church is only open for guided tours during the summer months.

The massive tower of l'église Saint-Just is -by far- the highest structure in the little town of Arbois. It was constructed as a watchtower in 1528 and at that time was even 15m higher than today (still 44m). Helmet and lantern were added to the tower in 1715. Famous Louis Pasteur knew this sight, as he was raised here and later often returned to his home in Arbois, now a museum.