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Origin and history

The church Saint-Julien-de-Chanet, located in the former commune of Chanet (now integrated in Allanche, Cantal), was founded in 924 on the initiative of the chapter of Saint-Julien de Brioude, then placed under the dependency of the abbey Saint-Pierre de Blesle. A neighboring priory existed until the middle of the 14th century. The present building, mainly Romanesque (nef and choir of the 12th century), was enriched in the 15th century by a porch and Gothic side chapels. It served as a parish church in Chanet until 1842, when the cult was transferred to a new church in the hamlet of Feydit, more central.

Prior to the Revolution, the parish priest lived in the hamlet of Chastres, and the parish was served from 1804 to 1833 by the priests of Vèze, because of its remoteness. The church, gradually abandoned after 1842, was used only sporadically (last Mass in 1953). His furniture, partially degraded, was transferred in 1963 to the Church of St. John the Baptist of Allanche. Ranked a historic monument in 1966, it preserves a two-span nave with lanceolate-leaved capitals, a hemicycle choir adorned with archatures, and arched chapels.

Architecturally, the church illustrates the transition between Romanesque and Gothic styles. The nave, originally from the 10th–XIIth century, initially had two spans and a semicircular apse. The additions of the 15th century (North Chapel, Chapel and South porch) reflect the evolution of liturgical needs. The columnettes of the choir, at the corners of a cavet, and the low arches of the abside bear witness to regional influences. The building, a communal property, remains a remarkable example of the Auvergnat religious heritage, although closed to worship for nearly two centuries.

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