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Origin and history

The Church of Our Lady of Plaisance, also known as the Church of the Immaculate Conception, replaces in the 19th century an ancient Romanesque church of the 12th century, St. The decision to build a new building was taken in 1838 by Mayor Joseph Louis Lanafoërt, but the work, delayed by debates on the location and funding problems, began only in 1854. The church was partially consecrated in 1862, but its construction did not end until 1870, under the mandate of Mayor Alfred Sabail, 32 years after the initial decision.

The neogothic architecture of the church, originally designed by Barré, is finally realized by Hippolyte Duran, known for his work in Lourdes and for Alexandre Dumas. The building, 25 metres long, is characterized by a luminous nave, dogive crosses and capitals carved by Antonin Baux in the 1890s. The glass windows, numbering 39, are the work of four artists, including the Goussard brothers and Louis-Victor Gesta, and illustrate religious scenes such as the litany of the Virgin or the Apostles.

The tympanum represents Christ surrounded by children, evoking a passage of the Gospel according to St Mark. The bells, melted in 1866 by the Dencausse foundry, are sponsored by influential local families, such as the Granier de Cassagnac or the Doat, reflecting the church's social anchor. The bumblebee, with a mass of 1,400 kg, bears a Latin inscription and an iconography dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, patron saint of the church.

In the 20th century, the church underwent modifications related to the Second Vatican Council: its original Sulpician decoration was partially replaced by an organ and altarpiece created by Daniel Birrouste and Daniel Ogier between 1979 and 1988. Only an 18th-century wooden virgin remains and a classified painting, La Résurrection, painted by Alexandre Magenc. The stained glass windows of the bell tower, originally dedicated to Saint Nicholas and Saint Quittier, were replaced in 1989 by works by Daniel Ogier on the theme of Ascension.

In front of the church, two statues of Antonin Baux, representing the Virgin Mary and Joan of Arc (replaced in 2003), adorn the planade. These elements, combined with the turbulent history of its construction, make the Church of Our Lady a major witness to the religious and social heritage of Gers in the 19th century.

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