Notre-Dame-de-Prospérité church in Montferrand

Built from the 14th century onwards in response to growing insecurity, the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Prospérité is a fine example of Languedoc Gothic architecture. It houses a valuable collection of furnishings from Montferrand’s former convents.
This church was built on the site of the former chapel of the castle of the Counts of Auvergne. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the people of Montferrand had to leave the fortified enclosure to attend services at the Saint-Robert monastery, outside the city walls to the south of the town. During the conflicts of the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453), the threat of war led the inhabitants to consider building a place of worship within the city walls.

The church was built entirely of Volvic stone, with construction beginning in the 1340s. Construction was a lengthy process, as the town’s finances were severely strained by the sacking of Montferrand in 1388. The northern tower, begun in 1472, was completed in 1566 with the addition of the belfry. The southern tower, dating from the early 16th century, was demolished during the French Revolution.

The people of Montferrand opted for a Languedoc Gothic style, reflecting their ties to southern France. The single nave is surrounded by fifteen chapels and illuminated by stained-glass windows dating from the 19th century, notably produced by the workshop of Etienne-Hormidas Thévenot.

To channel rainwater away from the terraces, numerous gargoyles were sculpted around the building. They depict fish, wild beasts, birds, sighthounds, as well as human and fantastical figures.

The furnishings in the chapels include wood panelling confiscated from the convents of Montferrand (the Cordeliers, Ursulines and Visitandines) and installed in the church after the French Revolution.

The church also houses a Romanesque stone statue of the Virgin and a large wooden crucifix dating from the 17th century.