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Origin and history

The church Saint-Aventin, located in Beauregard-l'Évêque, is a cemetery chapel dedicated to one of the former patrons of the parish. Its architecture combines two distinct periods: the nave, dated from the 10th century, has Carolingian features, such as two openings to the south and a gate in the middle of the wall. The piedroits and impostes, as well as the lateral pilasters, bear witness to this early period. The nave, covered with a frame on three farms, also retains traces of a subsequent development, like a floor dividing the space.

The choir, of Romanesque style (XI century), consists of a square straight span and a three-paned apse, initially semicircular. This apse was adorned with a column arching, of which two ribbed-leaved capitals remain partially. A later transformation (probably in the 18th century) changed its pattern to polygonal, replacing the cul-de-four with a vault with cut-pans supported by Roman crows. The span, separated from the nave by pilasters, is illuminated by an oculus and a northern niche.

The west facade, reworked in Gothic times, features a broken arched chamfered door topped by a larmal. It once supported a bell tower, now partially collapsed. The primitive southern gate, with its arch in the middle of the wall with painted harpsichords, recalls the original entrance. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1963, this chapel illustrates the architectural evolution between the Carolingian, Romanesque and Gothic periods, while serving as a local funeral witness.

The location of the building, although documented (Mérimée address: 63116 Beauregard-l'Évêque), remains approximate according to the sources, with a cartographic accuracy considered satisfactory a priori (note 6/10). Municipal property, its current state and conditions of visit (opening, renting) are not specified in the archives consulted.

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