Église Saint-Laurent de Lavalette, Church building in Lavalette, France

The église Saint-Laurent de Lavalette stands in the village of Lavalette in Occitanie, southern France. It has an octagonal bell tower and gothic arches, and a chapel whose old stone vaults carry the coat of arms of the Lavalette family beside a cross of Malta.

The church was built during the medieval period, when the village of Lavalette was still forming. Over the centuries it was repaired and partly rebuilt, but sections of the original stonework remain visible today.

The octagonal tower of the church is lit with blue light at night, making it visible from a distance across the fields. This unusual lighting sets it apart from other village churches in the region.

The church sits at the center of the village and is easy to reach on foot from anywhere in Lavalette. A visit during daylight hours is a good idea, as the small stained-glass windows are best seen when sunlight passes through them.

The stone vaults in the chapel carry the coat of arms of the Lavalette family alongside a cross of Malta, hinting at a historical connection to the Knights of Malta. These symbols are rarely found together in a village church of this size.