Saint-Julien de Bansat Fortified Church

In the Livradois-Forez Regional Natural Park, the church of Bansat is part of a village fort. Its originality lies in the fact that it was fortified, probably in the 15th century.
The current building is Gothic and dates back to the 13th century for its oldest parts. The nave opens to the west by a doorway whose broken arches fall back on discreetly figured capitals. The church was raised at the end of the 15th century or the beginning of the 16th century to house a large upper chamber flanked by defensive elements, probably more dissuasive than active. On the main façade, the fortification is shown by the presence of a bretèche and the bases of two watchtowers that defended the access. The south facade of the nave can be seen from a slightly elevated position that occupies the site of the former cemetery.