L'ÉGLISE FORTERESSE
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This church, in pure Romanesque style, consists of a single straight nave, unadorned and 15 metres high
Visible for several kilometres, this religious and defensive building in pure Romanesque style dominates the village. The building has crenellations and machicolations characteristic of this architecture, a single straight nave, a height of 15 meters and is devoid of ornamentation. Built in the 9th and 11th centuries, it is somewhat of an ancestor in this country where the majority of cultural buildings date from the 19th century. Established near the mouth of the Petit Rhône, it was once strategically located against pirate and Saracen invasions. In its crypt, to the right of the altar, it houses the statue of Saint Sara, patron saint of the Gypsies. In the past, the relics of the saints Marie-Jacobé and Marie-Salomé (found in the church in 1448) were exhibited, but, due to the fires of the Revolution, only a small part of them was preserved in the present caskets. Within its walls, the church also has a pagan altar from the 4th century BC. Don't leave before visiting its roof terrace, which offers an impressive view of the sea and the Camargue. A major refurbishment project launched in 2017 has restored the building's walls to their original colour. The stones were cleaned one by one, replaced for the most damaged. It is thus a radiant face that Notre-Dame de la Mer offers today to pilgrims and tourists who can be up to a thousand to push the doors every hour in summer.
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Listen to the priest during a mass, it is quite rock 'n' roll.
We paid entrance fee, nobody wanting asked us.
Attention at the exit of the church to the inevitable fortune-tellers, very tenacious to tap you a few euros for two or three big stories.