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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame de Lapeyrouse, located in Lafrançaise in Tarn-et-Garonne, is a Romano-Byzantine-style religious building erected between 1877 and 1879. It stands on a promontory overlooking the Lemboulas valley, 1.5 km northwest of the village. This site, once occupied by a dolmen attested in 1065, became a place of Christian worship mentioned in 13th century documents. In 1240, the church was ceded to the abbey of Moissac, on which it depended for centuries. The total reconstruction in the 19th century, led by the Toulouse architect Gabriel Bréfeil, gave it its present appearance, marked by a distinctive dome.

The monument retains a strong spiritual vocation, hosting a pilgrimage each year on Pentecost Monday. Its interior houses remarkable frescoes, including L'Assomption de la Vierge painted in 1891 by Louis Cazottes, adorning the apse and the choir. The church was inscribed in the historical monuments by decree of 25 February 1992, thus protecting its architectural and artistic heritage, including a statue of the Virgin with the Child referenced in the Palissy base.

The name Lapeyrouse comes from the occitan peirosa ("stone") or Petra alta ("top rock"), reflecting the topography of the site. This place, both geologically and historically marked, illustrates the continuity between pre-Christian cults, medieval times and 19th century religious revitalization. The building, owned by the municipality, remains today a symbol of local heritage and a testimony of neo-Byzantine architecture in Occitanie.

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