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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Exupère d'Arreau church, also known as the Saint-Exupère chapel, is a Catholic building located in the commune of Arreau in the Hautes-Pyrénées department. It is located on the edge of the Neste du Louron, rue Saint-Exupère. Its origin dates back to the 15th century, although it probably replaced an older chapel, built at the presumed location of the birth of the saint eponymous.

The building played a central role in local political life, hosting the general assemblies of the enclaves of Aure and preserving the archives of the four valleys. Disused during the Revolution, she was turned into a store for a nearby military hospital, before being returned to worship in 1857. Restoration work was then carried out by architect Laurent Barthe.

Ranked a historical monument in 1952, the church is distinguished by its architecture combining Romanesque and Gothic elements. The narthex, the oldest part, dates from the 12th century and features a historic capital gate and a tympanum adorned with a chrism. The nave, covered with dogive cross vaults, houses a 16th century wrought iron gate, separating the narthex from the chapel. The bell tower, rectangular at its base and octagonal at the top, dominates the whole.

A chapel dedicated to the Virgin was added in the axis of the second span, while the sacristy was built in 1671. The building thus illustrates centuries of religious and civil history, marked by successive adaptations to various uses, ranging from the place of worship to the repository of archives, then to the military store.

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