EGLISE SAINT JOUIN - PERAY

The Church of Saint Jouin stands in the heart of a small village in the Saosnois region, also known for its feudal mounds.

Still standing in the middle of the cemetery, the church of Saint Jouin is notable for its covered overhang, otherwise known as a "balet".
Its 12th-century nave has a panelled ceiling with 17th-century painted decorations that are still clearly visible from the floor. The instruments of the Passion are represented here: the nails, the pair of pincers, the dice, Judas' purse and more.
Other painted decorative elements include plant motifs, knotwork and the monograms of Christ and the Virgin Mary. The artist responsible for these works is Guillaume Petit.
At the top of the choir altarpiece, made of carved wood, is Saint Jouin, patron saint of the village, and at the bottom Saint Gilles, flanked by a deer, and on the other side Saint Antoine de Padoue.