Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint Georges of Birac-sur-Trec, mentioned from the 13th century in a cartular of Agen, suffered major damage during the Hundred Years War. The oldest parts of the current building (large and south side) date from the late 15th or early 16th century, reflecting post-conflict reconstruction. The lateral chapels, dedicated to Saint John, Notre-Dame-de-Pitié and Saint Catherine, were added in the 16th century by local dignitaries such as Jean de Valier, vicar general of Agen, and priest Cordis.

In the 17th century, the church was restored: the nave was lambrissed, and a sacristy backed by the abside around 1603. The major transformations took place in the 19th century, with the vault designed by Gustave Alaux (1854–67), the construction of the bell tower by Vital Parreau (1868–91), and the restoration of the chapels under the direction of architect Chaudruc from 1876. This period also saw the installation of stained glass windows signed by Joseph Villiet, Louis-Victor Gesta and Felix Gaudin between 1870 and 1881.

The stained glass windows, an important part of the church's heritage, illustrate religious scenes such as the life of Saint George (Villiet, 1875) or the communion of the Virgin (Gesta, 1870). Five scenes from the New Testament and the four evangelists, works by Felix Gaudin (1881), complete this artistic ensemble. These additions reflect the growing importance of ornamentation in rural churches in the 19th century, mixing local devotion and national artistic influences.

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