Church of St Philibert, Romanesque abbey in Tournus, France
The Church of St Philibert is a Romanesque building with rounded arches, thick stone walls, and multiple rows of columns supporting the vault structure. The interior is defined by powerful pillars that guide the eye through the nave toward the choir.
The church was founded in the late 8th century and developed over time into an important monastic complex. Its current form took shape through successive phases of reconstruction and expansion over many generations.
The church serves as a gathering place where locals celebrate important events and mark occasions together throughout the year. When you walk through, you notice how central it remains to the community's rhythm.
The building is freely accessible and can be explored at a relaxed pace without time pressure. The interior is open and well-lit, making it easy to observe the architectural details and structure.
The monastery was a center of wine culture and the monks experimented with cultivation methods that later shaped wine production in Burgundy. These agricultural innovations extended far beyond the church itself and transformed the local economy.
Location: Tournus
Inception: 9 century
Founders: Childebert I
Architectural style: Romanesque architecture
GPS coordinates: 46.56558,4.90911
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:02
Burgundy-Franche-Comté encompasses a varied heritage that spans several millennia. The region houses prehistoric sites such as the Roche de Solutré, monasteries founded as early as the 6th century like Baume Abbey, as well as medieval fortresses and Renaissance homes. Natural formations include the Osselle Cave, open to the public since 1751, and the Hérisson Waterfall, which features seven cascades over nearly 2.5 miles in the Jura mountains. The area is characterized by diverse terrain, from vineyards and mountain foothills to valleys and limestone plateaus. Visitors can explore the Cormatin Castle with its formal gardens, observe the ongoing construction of Guédelon Castle using 13th-century techniques, or explore the underground galleries of the Osselle Cave. These sites attest to human habitation and geological changes over the centuries.
Saône-et-Loire holds stories from all parts of French history. You can find caves where prehistoric people lived, like the Azé cave with its stalactites or the rocks of Solutré that overlook the vineyards. The area also has Celtic remains at Bibracte, a fortified city on the heights of Mount Beuvray. The Romanesque monasteries show the time when Cluny was the spiritual heart of medieval Europe, and its basilica served as a model for the one in Paray-le-Monial. Medieval castles like Brancion or Berzé-le-Châtel still stand on their hills, with towers and walls keeping watch over the valleys. The villages still have their solid stone Romanesque churches, castles, and squares where life goes on quietly. In Tournus, you can visit the Saint-Philibert Abbey from the tenth century and find paintings by an eighteenth-century painter at the Greuze museum. Some places are surprising, like the Blanot caves that go deep under the ground. This mix of sights lets you walk through many centuries of history while exploring the Burgundy countryside.
Saint-Philibert church of Tournus
225 m
Hôtel-Dieu de Tournus
418 m
Église Sainte-Madeleine de Tournus
658 m
Église Saint-Valérien de Tournus
119 m
Ancien couvent des Récollets de Tournus
881 m
Nécropole des Près-de-l'Eau
1.4 km
Chapelle Saint-Laurent de Tournus
486 m
Monument aux morts de Tournus
283 m
Puits du presbytère de Lambres
1.6 km
Musée bourguignon Perrin de Puycousin
416 m
Église Sainte-Cécile de Lacrost
1.9 km
Notre-Dame-la-Brune
25 m
Maison aux Chimères de Tournus
193 m
Palais de Justice de Tournus
586 m
Pipe organ of Saint-Philibert de Tournus Abbey
36 m
Maison Monière de Tournus
449 m
Maison Guichard-Jeanton de Tournus
521 m
War memorial of Lacrost
1.9 km
Maison de l'Escargot de Tournus
492 m
Hôtel Jean Magnon de Tournus
514 m
Chapelle de l'ancien couvent des Récollets de Tournus
865 m
Maison, 62 rue de la République (Tournus)
452 m
Hôtel de ville de Tournus
489 m
Hôtel de la Gerbe de Tournus
533 m
Hôtel d'Aubonne de Tournus
489 m
Hôtel Lacroix-Laval de Tournus
344 m
Maison, Rue de la République - Rue Jean-Jaurès
261 m
Immeuble à arcades de Tournus
501 mReviews
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