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Origin and history

Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Michel de Lüe Church is a Catholic religious building located in the Landes department in New Aquitaine. Originally annexed to the church of Saint-Jacques de Labouheyre, it was entirely rebuilt between the second half of the 15th century and the first half of the 16th century, as evidenced by the coat of arms of France on a key vault. Little modified since then, it preserves a semicircular Romanesque apse and rich furniture, including a 17th century altarpiece and 1930s stained glass windows signed Mauméjean.

As early as the 12th century, the church was the heart of a salvation, a sacred space bounded by four crosses still visible today. These pillars marked the perimeter of asylum, typical of medieval churches. Although the site is ancient, the first written documents date back to the 19th century, when the Romanesque bell tower was replaced by a massive neo-Gothic tower, topped by an octagonal arrow. This 1860 construction site illustrates the taste of the era for stylistic restorations.

Inside the church combines Gothic and Baroque elements. The nave, vaulted with dogives without capitals, houses an 18th-century tomb altar, decorated with gilding and rock bas-reliefs. Among the remarkable pieces are a statue of St. Michael terrorizing the dragon (XVIII-XIXth centuries) and five Latin windows of the 1930s, depicting scenes such as the Annunciation or the Coronation of the Virgin. These stained glass windows, signed by the Mauméjean workshop, complete a decoration preserved since the 16th century.

Partially classified as historical monuments in 1987 for its furniture (altar, altarpieces, statues), the church of Lüe embodies both medieval and modern religious heritage. Its architecture, little altered outside the bell tower, and its furniture elements make it a witness to the artistic and cultural evolutions of the Landes, from the late Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

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