ST. LAWRENCE CHURCH

Dedicated to the martyred deacon Saint Laurent, this sublime church, listed as a historic monument since 1907, houses a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, known as "Notre-Dame de Fleurance". The church is the only vestige of the bastide's foundation in the late ^13th century. Built in the Southern Gothic style, it is impressive for its dimensions, which are closer to a cathedral than a village church: 70 m long and 37 m wide. It was built over a long period of time, as can be seen from the roof projections. The bell tower has a surprising structure. Its square base is surmounted by a 3-storey octagonal lantern crowned by a flat-tiled pyramidal spire. The original arched portal is framed by niches with chiselled arches. Inside, the transeptless nave is typical of the Southwest. It is flanked by eight chapels lit by stained-glass windows. In addition to the chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame de Fleurance, the Saint-Jude chapel is also noteworthy. The choir windows are attributed to master glassmaker Arnaud de Moles, author of the sumptuous stained glass windows in Auch Cathedral. The central window depicts the Holy Trinity framing the Virgin Mary, while the great saints illustrate the one on the left and the Tree of Jesse the one on the right. Saint-Laurent church is home to one of the finest Romantic organs in the region. Inaugurated in 1865, it was built by Jules Magen. It has 1,816 pipes, 34 stops distributed over 3 manual keyboards and a pedalboard.