Église Saint-Michel de Bedous, Romanesque church in Bedous, France

The Église Saint-Michel de Bedous stands in the centre of Bedous, in the Aspe valley. The building is single-naved with side chapels, and its west front is crowned by a bell gable pierced with arched openings for the bells. A painted or sculpted Saint Michael is the element to look for inside.

The church is documented as a dependency of the Benedictine abbey of Sainte-Christine du Somport, a stop on the Camino de Santiago, and passed to the bishopric of Oloron. Its Romanesque structure was reworked in the 16th and 17th centuries, when the bell tower and side chapels were added. It is listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage.

The church is dedicated to Saint Michael, and its patronal feast is celebrated on 29 September, when residents of Bedous gather for Mass and a shared meal in the village. The building also hosts the local festival committee's gatherings and serves as a landmark during the annual transhumance, when flocks pass through the Aspe valley.

The church stands in the heart of Bedous, on the route through the Aspe valley towards the Somport pass, and is reached on foot from the village centre. The surrounding streets are narrow, so drivers leave their cars in the village car park and continue on foot.

Pierre Laclède, born in Bedous in 1729, founded Saint Louis, Missouri, in 1764; the settlement was named after King Louis IX of France. A square in the village bears his name, and the link is recalled locally rather than advertised to passing visitors.