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Origin and history

The Saint-Valérien church, dedicated to Saint Valérien, a local martyr, was built between 1008 and 1028 by Bernier, abbot of Saint-Philibert, after the fire of 1006 that ravaged the neighbouring abbey. Originally parish church for the inhabitants of the surrounding area, it illustrates Burgundy Romanesque architecture with a polychrome facade and a carved portal. Its interior, contrasting with the exterior, adopts a refined Gothic style with ogival vaults and decorative elements like a municipal coat of arms.

The church was disused in the 20th century; it would house a cinema from 1913 to the 1950s, then serve as a commercial space for an antique store. Ranked a historic monument in 1927, it is distinguished by its mixed materials (white stone and ferroruginous sandstone) and its remains of Romanesque archatures on the north facade. Close to Saint-Philibert Abbey, it bears witness to the religious influence of Tournus in the Middle Ages.

Its exterior architecture combines robustness and ornaments: massive buttresses, triplet of bays above the gate, and alternation of two-coloured harpsichords. Inside, the bleached walls highlight the Gothic pilasters and double arches, while a historic cul-de-lampe (angel wearing a coat of arms) and a blind bay adorned with a chalice recall its liturgical past. The secular reuse of the building reflects the urban transformations of the twentieth century.

The church's location, about 100 metres from Saint-Philibert Abbey, highlights its complementary role in the medieval religious landscape of Tournus. Its inscription in the historical monuments in 1927 preserved its Romanesque and Gothic characteristics, despite the alterations suffered by the north facade. Today, it is a communal property and remains a notable example of Burgundy's Romanesque heritage.

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