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Church · Saint-Émilion, Nova Aquitânia
Collégiale de Saint-Émilion
A 12th-century Romanesque and Gothic church, the largest in the upper part of the village, with a cloister housing the tourist office.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Collégiale de Saint-Émilion
The Collégiale is the most imposing church in the upper part of Saint-Émilion. The first stone was laid in 1110 at the request of the Archbishop of Bordeaux for a community of canons who followed the Rule of Saint Augustine and represented the official religious authority in the village. The nave is Romanesque; the transept and choir were rebuilt in the 13th–15th centuries in Gothic style.
The canons lived there until the French Revolution. Besides their religious role, they collected taxes and offered the local elite burial within the monastery. Today the Collégiale is the parish church of the village and has been listed as a historic monument since 1840.
Beside it is the cloister, with a central garden and decorated tombs from the 13th and 14th centuries on the walls. Three blocked arches mark the entrance to the former chapter house. In the cloister is installed a large contemporary work on the Apocalypse, painted on wood by the artist François Peltier.
The former refectory of the canons houses the tourist office, the starting point for guided visits of the village.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 20 to 40 minutes for the church and cloister.
Best time
In the morning, before or after buying the guided visit at the tourist office next to the church. Avoid mass times when visiting the nave.
How to get there
On foot, in the upper part of the village, next to the Place des Créneaux. Those arriving from the station walk up there in about 30 minutes.
Tip
From the Place des Créneaux, directly opposite, there is one of the nicest views over the roofs of the lower town and the bell tower of the Église monolithe.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Collégiale de Saint-Émilion
Is there an entrance fee for the Collégiale?
The church is a place of worship and entry is free. Respect the mass times.
Where is the Saint-Émilion tourist office?
In the former canons' refectory, next to the Collégiale cloister, on the Place des Créneaux. It is where guided tours are purchased.
What to see in the cloister?
The central garden, the decorated tombs from the 13th and 14th centuries, and the contemporary work on the Apocalypse, painted on wood by François Peltier.