Cathédrale Vieux-Saint-Vincent

Former Saint Vincent Cathedral

The history of this Gothic jewel, whose past size (length 74 m, vault height 25 m, transept diameter 6-7 m) is unimaginable, was very eventful. On the site of a cathedral from the 6th century, it was repeatedly rebuilt between the 7th and 13th centuries. Although major damage occurred in the 16th century, it was not until the beginning of the 17th century that restoration work was undertaken, primarily affecting the towers. But the structure, which has suffered greatly from repeated construction work, is a cause for serious concern. Eventually the church was sold as state property and demolition began in March 1799. Only the narthex, the two towers and the yoke, the oldest parts of the church, remain to this day. The square base of the towers probably dates from the 11th century and the octagonal upper part from the 13th century. Worth mentioning is the tympanum of the portal, whose sculptures depict scenes of the Last Judgment.