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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Mallefougasse is a 11th and 12th century Romanesque building located in the village of Mallefougasse-Augès, at the foot of the Lure Mountain. It is distinguished by its bedside consisting of an apse and two semicircular apsidioles, as well as by its 12th century square bell tower, adorned with beige-cut stone corner links and geminated windows. Its architecture mixes stone and slate, typical of Provencal Romanesque constructions.

The church was a priory dependent on the Benedictine abbey of Saint-André de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, as was the nearby Saint-Donat chapel of Montfort. It underwent restorations in the 17th century, but retains prominent medieval elements, such as the bell tower bolt holes, remains of the original scaffolding. Since 1997, the building and its sacristy have been listed as historic monuments, recognizing their heritage value.

The bell tower, a remarkable architectural element, has a bichromy due to the alternation of white and beige-sized stones. Its double-brased windows, decorated with carved columns, and its bolt holes testify to medieval construction techniques. The absdioles and the absdioles, covered with slates, complete a harmonious ensemble, characteristic of Provencal Romanesque art.

The church is part of a historical landscape marked by the Benedictine presence in Provence. Its connection to the Abbey of Saint-André de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon illustrates the monastic networks of the region in the Middle Ages. The restorations of the seventeenth century, although partially modifying its structure, did not alter its Romanesque character, preserved until today.

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