Eglise St-Laurent-de-Challes

Challes church probably dates back to the Romanesque period (11th and 12th centuries).

The church at Challes (St Laurent) was built on a Merovingian necropolis (sarcophagi have been found under the bell tower). Construction began in the Romanesque period. A 1st transept was added to the original nave in the 12th century. The bell tower dates back to the 14th century. The nave was rebuilt in the 16th century and its gable decorated with graffiti. Graffiti is a very old technique that consists of coating fresh mortar with a coloured layer made from a mixture of wood ash and lime, all covered with a thin layer of whitewash. The sacristy dates from the 17th century. Consolidation work was carried out in the 18th century. It is built of tuffaceous sandstone.