© PWilliamson
© PWilliamson
© PWilliamson
Eglise St Jacques Church, Bergerac
13th-century Romanesque church in centre of Bergerac's old town
The Saint-Jacques church sits at the top of a lovely square overlooking the historic centre of the city.
First built in the 12th century as a chapel on the pilgrim route to Compostela, it is essentially a Romanesque church but was enlarged in the 13th century when it became the medieval town's church. It has undergone many alterations over the centuries and the nave was completely rebuilt in the 18th century.
In the 19th-century it was deemed too small for its large congregation and a new church, the Eglise Notre Dame, was built and consecrated in 1865. St Jacques, however, far from being abandoned was renovated.
Worth knowing
Sitting in the square beside the church is one of the two Cyrano de Bergerac statues in the city.
Visitor comments
- "The oldest church in Bergerac has a lot of history to tell. Grab the small leaflet when you enter and marvel at the history. It may look like many other churches from inside, but knowing the history and looking at it from the outside gives you a better understanding. Great place!"
- "After a time in the south-west of France you begin to notice "everything" seems to be along the St Jacques de Compostelle pilgrimage route (hence, the name of the church). It is of Romanesque, though as one would expect, it has undergone significant alterations over the years. Sitting out front is one of the two Cyrano de Bergerac statues in the town." - Trip Advisor
