The Cathedrals of Southern France

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M. F. Mansfield

PART I Southern France in General

PART II South of the Loire

PART III The RhOne Valley

PART IV The Mediterranean Coast

PART V The Valley of the Garonne


image of the book's inside cover


image of the book's inside cover


THE CATHEDRALS OF
SOUTHERN FRANCE

The Cathedral Series

The following, each 1 vol., library 12mo, cloth, gilt top profusely illustrated. $2.50

The Cathedrals of Northern France
BY FRANCIS MILTOUN

The Cathedrals of Southern France
BY FRANCIS MILTOUN

The Cathedrals of England
BY MARY J. TABER

The following, each 1 vol., library 12mo, cloth, gilt top, profusely illustrated. Net, $2.00

The Cathedrals and Churches of the Rhine
BY FRANCIS MILTOUN

The Cathedrals of Northern Spain
BY CHARLES RUDY

L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
New England Building, Boston, Mass.

ST. ANDRÉ ... de BORDEAUX
ST. ANDRÉ ... de BORDEAUX

THE CATHEDRALS OF
SOUTHERN FRANCE

By FRANCIS  MILTOUN
AUTHOR OF "THE CATHEDRALS 
OF NORTHERN FRANCE,"   "THE
CATHEDRALS   OF    SOUTHERN
FRANCE," "DICKENS'   LONDON,"
ETC., WITH NINETY  ILLUSTRA-
TIONS, PLANS, AND DIAGRAMS,
By BLANCHE McMANUS
           image    

BOSTON
L. C. Page and Company
MDCCCCV




Copyright, 1904
By L. C. Page & Company
(INCORPORATED)
——
All rights reserved



Published August, 1904



Third Impression

Colonial Press
Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co.
Boston, Mass., U. S. A.

CONTENTS

PAGE
Introduction 11
Part I. Southern France in General
I. The Charm of Southern France 23
II. The Church in Gaul 34
III. The Church Architecture of Southern France 50
 
Part II. South of the Loire
I. Introductory 71
II. L'Abbaye de Maillezais 81
III. St. Louis de la Rochelle 82
IV. CathÉdrale de LuÇon 85
V. St. Front de PÉrigueux 87
VI. St. Pierre de Poitiers 92
VII. St. Etienne de Limoges 104
VIII. St. Odilon de St. Flour 112
IX. St. Pierre de Saintes 115
X. CathÉdrale de Tulle 118
XI. St. Pierre d'AngoulÊme 120
XII. Notre Dame de Moulins 126
XIII. Notre Dame de le Puy 134
XIV. Notre Dame de Clermont-Ferrand 144
XV. St. Fulcran de LodÈve 152
 
Part III. The Rhone Valley
I. Introductory 159
II. St. Etienne de Chalons-sur-SaÔne 170
III. St. Vincent de Macon 174
IV. St. Jean de Lyon 177
V. St. Maurice de Vienne 186
VI. St. Apollinaire de Valence 190
VII. CathÉdrale de Viviers 195
VIII. Notre Dame d'Orange 197
IX. St. VÉran de Cavaillon 200
X. Notre Dame des Doms d'Avignon 204
XI. St. Siffrein de Carpentras 221
XII. CathÉdrale de Vaison 226
XIII. St. Trophime d'Arles 228
XIV. St. Castor de NÎmes 236
XV. St. ThÉodorit d'UzÈs 245
XVI. St. Jean d'Alais 249
XVII. St. Pierre d'Annecy 252
XVIII. CathÉdrale de ChambÉry 255
XIX. Notre Dame de Grenoble 258
XX. Belley and Aoste 267
XXI. St. Jean de Maurienne 269
XXII. St. Pierre de St. Claude 272
XXIII. Notre Dame de Bourg 277
XXIV. GlandÈve, Senez, Riez, Sisteron 280
XXV. St. Jerome de Digne 283
XXVI. Notre Dame de Die 287
XXVII. Notre Dame et St. Castor d'Apt 289
XXVIII. Notre Dame d'Embrun 292
XXIX. Notre Dame de l'Assomption de Gap 296
XXX. Notre Dame de Vence 300
XXXI. CathÉdrale de Sion 302
XXII. St. Paul Troix ChÂteau 305
 
Part IV. The Mediterranean Coast
I. Introductory 313
II. St. Sauveur d'Aix 323
III. St. Reparata de Nice 328
IV. Ste. Marie Majeure de Toulon 332
V. St. Etienne de FrÉjus 335
VI. Église de Grasse 339
VII. Antibes 341
VIII. Ste. Marie Majeure de Marseilles 342
IX. St. Pierre d'Alet 350
X. St. Pierre de Montpellier 352
XI. CathÉdrale d'Agde 358
XII. St. Nazaire de BÉziers 363
XIII. St. Jean de Perpignan 368
XIV. Ste. Eulalia d'Elne 372
XV. St. Just de Narbonne 375
 
Part V. the Valley of the Garonne
I. Introductory 383
II. St. AndrÉ de Bordeaux 396
III. CathÉdrale de Lectoure 402
IV. Notre Dame de Bayonne 405
V. St. Jean de Bazas 411
VI. Notre Dame de Lescar 413
VII. L'Eglise de la SÈde: Tarbes 417
VIII. CathÉdrale de Condom 420
IX. CathÉdrale de Montauban 422
X. St. Etienne de Cahors 425
XI. St. Caprias d'Agen 429
XII. Ste. Marie d'Auch 432
XIII. St. Etienne de Toulouse 439
XIV. St. Nazaire de Carcassone 449
XV. CathÉdrale de Pamiers 461
XVI. St. Bertrand de Comminges 464
XVII. St. Jean-Baptiste d'Aire 469
XVIII. Sts. Benoit et Vincent de Castres 471
XIX. Notre Dame de Rodez 474
XX. Ste. CÉcile d'Albi 482
XXI. St. Pierre de Mende 490
XXII. Other Old-Time Cathedrals in and about the Basin of the Garonne     495


Appendices
I. Sketch Map Showing the Usual Geographical Divisions of France 503
II. A Historical Table of the Dioceses of the
South of France up to the beginning of
the nineteenth century		 504
III. The Classification of Architectural Styles in
France according to De Caumont's "AbÉcÉdaire
d'Architecture Religieuse"		 510
IV. A Chronology of Architectural Styles in France 511
V. Leading Forms of Early Cathedral Constructions 513
VI. The Disposition of the Parts of a Tenth-Century Church as defined by Violet-le-Duc     514
VII. A Brief Definitive Gazetteer of the Natural
and Geological Divisions Included in the
Ancient Provinces and Present-Day Departments
of Southern France, together
with the local names by which the pays et
pagi are commonly known		 516
VIII. Sketch Map of the Bishoprics and Archbishoprics
of the South of France at the Present Day		 519
IX. Dimensions and Chronology 520
 
Index 545

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
St. AndrÉ de Bordeaux Frontispiece
The Concordat (From Napoleon's Tomb) 43
St. Louis de La Rochelle 82
CathÉdrale de LuÇon 85
St. Front de PÉrigueux 87
Detail of the Interior of St. Front de PÉrigueux 90
Poitiers 93
St. Etienne de Limoges 105
Reliquary of Thomas À Becket 111
CathÉdrale de Tulle facing 118
St. Pierre d'AngoulÊme facing 120
Notre Dame de Moulins facing 126
Notre Dame de Le Puy facing 134
Le Puy 138
The Black Virgin, Le Puy 143
Notre Dame de Clermont-Ferrand facing 144
St. Vincent de Macon facing 174
St. Jean de Lyon facing 176
St. Apollinaire de Valence 190
St. VÉran de Cavaillon 200
Notre Dame des Doms d'Avignon 205
Villeneuve-les-Avignon facing 212
Notre Dame des Doms d'Avignon facing 218
St. Trophime d'Arles 228
St. Trophime d'Arles facing 228
Cloisters, St. Trophime d'Arles 233
St. Castor de NÎmes 236
St. Castor de NÎmes 237
St. ThÉodorit d'UzÈs 245
CathÉdrale de ChambÉry 255
Notre Dame de Grenoble 258
St. Bruno 261
Belley 265
St. Jean de Maurienne 269
St. Pierre de St. Claude facing 272
Notre Dame de Bourg 275
Notre Dame de Sisteron facing 280
St. Jerome de Digne 283
Notre Dame d'Embrun 292
The Ramparts of Aigues-Mortes 320
St. Sauveur d'Aix 321
Detail of Doorway of the Archbishop's Palace, FrÉjus 338
Eglise de Grasse 339
Marseilles 343
The Old Cathedral, Marseilles 345
St. Pierre de Montpellier facing 352
CathÉdrale d'Agde 358
St. Nazaire de BÉziers 361
St. Jean de Perpignan 368
Ste. Eulalia d'Elne 372
St. Just de Narbonne facing 374
Cloister of St. Just de Narbonne facing 378
Notre Dame de Bayonne facing 404
Eglise de la SÈde, Tarbes 417
St. Etienne de Cahors facing 424
Ste. Marie d'Auch facing 432
St. Etienne de Toulouse facing 438
Nave of St. Etienne de Toulouse 445
St. Nazaire de Carcassonne facing 448
The Old CitÉ de Carcassonne before and after the Restoration 451
Two Capitals of Pillars in St. Nazaire de Carcassonne;
     and the Rude Stone Carving of Carcas 454
St. Nazaire de Carcassonne facing 454
CathÉdrale de Pamiers 461
St. Bertrand de Comminges facing 464
St. Jean-Baptiste d'Aire 469
Sts. Benoit et Vincent de Castres facing 470
Notre Dame de Rodez facing 474
Choir-Stalls, Rodez 480
Ste. CÉcile d'Albi facing 482
St. Pierre de Mende facing 490
Sketch Map of France 503
Medallion 510
Leading Forms of Early Cathedral Constructions 513
Plan of a Tenth Century Church 514
Sketch Map of the Bishoprics and Archbishoprics of the
     South of France at the Present Day 519
St. Caprias d'Agen (diagram) 520
Baptistery of St. Sauveur d'Aix (diagram) 521
Ste. CÉcile d'Albi (diagram) 522
St. Pierre d'AngoulÊme (diagram) 523
St. Trophime d'Arles (diagram) 524
Notre Dame des Doms d'Avignon (diagram) 525
St. Etienne de Cahors (diagram) 527
St. Veran de Cavaillon (diagram) 528
CathÉdrale de ChambÉry (diagram) 529
Notre Dame de Clermont-Ferrand (diagram) 530
St. Bertrand de Comminges (diagram) 530
Notre Dame de Le Puy (diagram) 532
St. Etienne de Limoges (diagram) 532
St. Jean de Lyon (diagram) 533
St. Just de Narbonne (diagram) 535
Notre Dame d'Orange (diagram) 536
St. Front de PÉrigueux (diagram) 537
St. Jean de Perpignan (diagram) 537
St. Pierre de Poitiers (diagrams) 538
Notre Dame de Rodez (diagram) 539
St. Etienne de Toulouse (diagram) 541
St. Paul Trois ChÂteaux (diagram) 542
CathÉdrale de Vaison (diagram) 543



The Cathedrals
of Southern France

INTRODUCTION

TOO often—it is a half-acknowledged delusion, however—one meets with what appears to be a theory: that a book of travel must necessarily be a series of dull, discursive, and entirely uncorroborated opinions of one who may not be even an intelligent observer. This is mere intellectual pretence. Even a humble author—so long as he be an honest one—may well be allowed to claim with Mr. Howells the right to be serious, or the reverse, "with his material as he finds it;" and that "something personally experienced can only be realized on the spot where it was lived." This, says he, is "the prime use of travel, and the attempt to create the reader a partner in the enterprise" ... must be the excuse, then, for putting one's observations on paper.

He rightly says, too, that nothing of perilous adventure is to-day any more like to happen "in Florence than in Fitchburg."

A "literary tour," a "cathedral tour," or an "architectural tour," requires a formula wherein the author must be wary of making questionable estimates; but he may, with regard to generalities,—or details, for that matter,—state his opinion plainly; but he should state also his reasons. With respect to church architecture no average reader, any more than the average observer, willingly enters the arena of intellectual combat, but rather is satisfied—as he should be, unless he is a Freeman, a Gonse, or a Corroyer—with an ampler radius which shall command even a juster, though no less truthful, view.

Not from one book or from ten, in one year or a score can this be had. The field is vast and the immensity of it all only dawns upon one the deeper he gets into his subject. A dictionary of architecture, a compendium or gazetteer of geography, or even the unwieldy mass of fact tightly held in the fastnesses of the EncyclopÆdia Britannica will not tell one—in either a long or a short while—all the facts concerning the cathedrals of France.

Some will consider that in this book are made many apparently trifling assertions; but it is claimed that they are pertinent and again are expressive of an emotion which mayhap always arises of the same mood.

Notre Dame at Rodez is a "warm, mouse-coloured cathedral;" St. CÉcile d'Albi is at once "a fortress and a church," and the once royal city of Aigues-Mortes is to-day but "a shelter for a few hundred pallid, shaking mortals."

Such expressions are figurative, but, so far as words can put it, they are the concentrated result of observation.

These observations do not aspire to be considered "improving," though it is asserted that they are informative.

Description of all kinds is an art which requires considerable forethought in order to be even readable. And of all subjects, art and architecture are perhaps the most difficult to treat in a manner which shall not arouse an intolerant criticism.

Perhaps some credit will be attained for the attempts herein made to present in a pleasing manner many of the charms of the ecclesiastical architecture of southern France, where a more elaborate and erudite work would fail of its object. As Lady Montagu has said in her "Letters,"—"We travellers are in very hard circumstances. If we say nothing new, we are dull, and have observed nothing. If we tell any new thing, we are laughed at as fabulous and romantic."

This book is intended as a contribution to travel literature—or, if the reader like, to that special class of book which appeals largely to the traveller.

Most lovers of art and literature are lovers of churches; indeed, the world is yearly containing more and more of this class. The art expression of a people, of France in particular, has most often first found its outlet in church-building and decoration. Some other countries have degenerated sadly from the idea.

In recent times the Anglo-Saxon has mostly built his churches,—on what he is pleased to think are "improved lines,"—that, more than anything else, resemble, in their interiors, playhouses, and in their exteriors, cotton factories and breweries.

This seemingly bitter view is advanced simply because the writer believes that it is the church-members, using the term in its broad sense, who are responsible for the many outrageously unseemly church-buildings which are yearly being erected; not the architects—who have failings enough of their own to answer for.

It is said that a certain great architect of recent times was responsible for more bad architecture than any man who had lived before or since. Not because he produced such himself, but because his feeble imitators, without his knowledge, his training, or his ambition, not only sought to follow in his footsteps, but remained a long way in the rear, and stumbled by the way.

This man built churches. He built one, Trinity Church, in Boston, U. S. A., which will remain, as long as its stones endure, an entirely successful transplantation of an exotic from another land. In London a new Roman Catholic cathedral has recently been erected after the Byzantine manner, and so unexpectedly successful was it in plan and execution that its author was "medalled" by the Royal Academy; whatever that dubious honour may be worth.

Both these great men are dead, and aside from these two great examples, and possibly the Roman Catholic cathedral, and the yet unachieved cathedral of St. John the Divine, in New York City, where, in an English-speaking land, has there been built, in recent times, a religious edifice of the first rank worthy to be classed with these two old-world and new-world examples?

They do these things better in France: Viollet-le-Duc completed St. Ouen at Rouen and the cathedral at Clermont-Ferrand, in most acceptable manner. So, too, was the treatment of the cathedral at Moulins-sur-Allier—although none of these examples are among the noblest or the most magnificent in France. They have, however, been completed successfully, and in the true spirit of the original.

To know the shops and boulevards of Paris does not necessarily presume a knowledge of France. This point is mentioned here from the fact that many have claimed a familiarity with the cathedrals of France; when to all practical purposes, they might as well have begun and ended with the observation that Notre Dame de Paris stands on an island in the middle of the Seine.

The author would not carp at the critics of the first volume of this series, which appeared last season. Far from it. They were, almost without exception, most generous. At least they granted, unqualifiedly, the reason for being for the volume which was put forth bearing the title: "Cathedrals of Northern France."

The seeming magnitude of the undertaking first came upon the author and artist while preparing the first volume for the press. This was made the more apparent when, on a certain occasion, just previous to the appearance of the book, the author made mention thereof to a friend who did know Paris—better perhaps than most English or American writers; at least he ought to have known it better.

When this friend heard of the inception of this book on French cathedrals, he marvelled at the fact that there should be a demand for such; said that the subject had already been overdone; and much more of the same sort; and that only yesterday a certain Miss—— had sent him an "author's copy" of a book which recounted the results of a journey which she and her mother had recently made in what she sentimentally called "Romantic Touraine."

Therein were treated at least a good half-dozen cathedrals; which, supplementing the always useful Baedeker or Joanne, and a handbook of Notre Dame at Paris and another of Rouen, covered—thought the author's friend at least—quite a representative share of the cathedrals of France.

This only substantiates the contention made in the foreword to the first volume: that there were doubtless many with a true appreciation and love for great churches who would be glad to know more of them, and have the ways—if not the means—smoothed in order to make a visit thereto the more simplified and agreeable. Too often—the preface continued—the tourist, alone or personally conducted in droves, was whirled rapidly onward by express-train to some more popularly or fashionably famous spot, where, for a previously stipulated sum, he might partake of a more lurid series of amusements than a mere dull round of churches.

"Cities, like individuals, have," says Arthur Symons, "a personality and individuality quite like human beings."

This is undoubtedly true of churches as well, and the sympathetic observer—the enthusiastic lover of churches for their peculiarities, none the less than their general excellencies—is the only person who will derive the maximum amount of pleasure and profit from an intimacy therewith.

Whether a great church is interesting because of its antiquity, its history, or its artistic beauties matters little to the enthusiast. He will drink his fill of what offers. Occasionally, he will find a combination of two—or possibly all—of these ingredients; when his joy will be great.

Herein are catalogued as many of the attributes of the cathedrals of the south of France—and the records of religious or civil life which have surrounded them in the past—as space and opportunity for observation have permitted.

More the most sanguine and capable of authors could not promise, and while in no sense does the volume presume to supply exhaustive information, it is claimed that all of the churches included within the classification of cathedrals—those of the present and those of a past day—are to be found mentioned herein, the chief facts of their history recorded, and their notable features catalogued.


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