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Origin and history

The cross of Vitrolles is a stone cross erected in the hamlet of Vitrolles, in the municipality of Lanuéjols, in the department of Lozère. Probably dating from the 16th century, it is representative of the flamboyant Gothic style, with a triangular congested base and a barrel passing from square to octagonal. On one side, a mutilated Christ (of which only the bust remains) dominates two worshipers barely sketched, while the other side shows a Virgin to the Child crowned by an angel. The ends of the arms are decorated with cabbages with finely carved foliage. The cross, located near a source used to refresh milk, was restored in 1996, including the replacement of the barrel and the reconstruction of the missing parts (legs of Christ and worshipers).

Classified as a historical monument by decree of 7 August 1926, this cross belongs to the municipality of Lanuéjols. His condition was very degraded before his restoration, especially because of the partial disappearance of the sculptures of Christ and the figures of worship (perhaps Saint John and Saint Madeleine). The works have made it possible to restore a readability to the whole, while preserving the traces of its history. The exact location, near a staircase leading to a spring, suggests a link with local farming practices, such as milk cooling.

The cross of Vitrolles is part of the religious and rural heritage of the Lozère, an area marked by a strong presence of stone monuments linked to devotion or daily activities. Its flamboyant Gothic style, although late for this period, bears witness to the persistence of medieval artistic traditions in the remote areas of large urban centres. The 1996 restoration preserved this sculptural testimony, while documenting the techniques and materials used at the time of its creation.

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