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Origin and history

The Saint-Laurent des Arques church, built between 1120 and 1180, is an emblematic example of Quebec Romanesque art. Initially priored-dean dependent on the abbey of Marcilhac, it was confirmed in 1233 as possession of this abbey, before being exchanged in 1286 with the bishop of Cahors – an exchange ultimately not realized. Its architecture includes a unique nave, a transept with absidioles, and a rectangular crypt arched in cradle.

During the Hundred Years' War (1345), the church was looted by Philip of John, a mercenary in the service of the King of England, and then ravaged by the black plague (1348). Ruined, only his apse remained standing until the 15th century, when Bishop Antoine d'Alamand of La Rochechinard undertook partial restorations, adding his weapons to a console of the choir. The building then became parish, gradually replacing the nearby Saint Martin church.

In the 16th century, the wars of Religion again damaged the site: the Protestants of Duras ravaged it in 1561 and 1622. In the 18th century, despite requests for demolition because of its condition, parishioners chose to restore it between 1803 and 1819, reusing Saint Martin's materials. A major extension took place in 1879, with the addition of a neoRoman nave and a floor in the bell tower, under the direction of the departmental architect.

Ranked a historic monument in 1952, the church benefited from two restoration campaigns (1963–66 and 1968–1973) led by Pierre Prunet, chief architect of the Historic Monuments. These works consolidated the vaults, the crypt, and the bedside, while removing two levels of the bell tower. Today, the building houses two major works by Ossip Zadkine: a Christ on an abalone cross (over the facade) and a Pieta (in the crypt).

Its history reflects regional tumults, from feudal conflicts to the wars of Religion, to modern restorations. The church also illustrates the evolution of religious usages, from Benedictine priory to parish church, while preserving original Romanesque elements such as its archatures in the middle of the circle and its carved capitals.

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