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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Sainte-Blandine church of Castet-Arrouy, located in Gers in Occitanie, presents an architecture combining two distinct periods. Its Gothic portal, dated 14th or 15th centuries, bears witness to its late medieval origins, while the bell tower bears an inscription attesting its completion on 26 May 1546. This bell tower, of square base and surmounted by an octagonal floor, is characteristic of regional buildings such as those of Mauvezin or Monfort. The nave and the choir were entirely rebuilt in the 19th century, incorporating dogive vaults and transept-forming lateral chapels.

The interior decoration, made in 1901 by the painter Paul Noël Lasseran, is one of the most remarkable elements of the building. His murals, once considered minor, are now recognized for their originality, notably thanks to a fantastic bestiary with bright colours. The church also houses polychrome statues and a fragment of Roman sculpture re-used in the bell tower, highlighting its stratified history. Listed in the historical monuments inventory since 1999, it illustrates the architectural and artistic evolution of a rural place of worship over more than five centuries.

The western facade retains traces of medieval polychromy under its awning, while 19th century additions, such as a frieze of foliage and carved faces, adorn the extrados of the portal. These details reflect the successive restorations and embellishments that marked the building. L-abside with cut strips and the simplicity of the walls in crepe-stones contrast with the care given to the bell tower, revealing constructive priorities varying from time to time. The church remains a living testimony of local piety, dedicated to St.Blandina, the martyrological figure of Lyon venerated since the Middle Ages.

The furniture, including paintings, statues and a tabernacle, is referenced in the Palissy base, confirming the heritage richness of the site. The Roman head re-used in the bell tower evokes common practices of recovering ancient materials in medieval and modern buildings. These heteroclite elements, combined with Lasseran's paintings, make the church a place where ancient, medieval and modern history intersect, anchored in the cultural landscape of Lectourois.

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