Church "Saint-Martin"

Romanesque church. Year of construction: 12th century. Listed as a historical monument in 1968.
The Church of Saint Martin in Sauvat is a Romanesque building dating from the 12th century. It is mentioned in the famous "Charter of Clovis," referring to a sanctuary dedicated to Saint Martin in the village of Sauvat ("In villa Salvat est ecclesia … Sancto Martino dicata"). Over time, the building underwent several transformations: two chapels were added, some chancel windows were enlarged around 1660, and a sacristy was built in 1747. The roof and the nave vault were rebuilt in 1730. The bell tower was probably damaged during the French Revolution, then rebuilt and raised during the Restoration. Built in the Auvergne Romanesque style, the church is constructed of volcanic stone, with a western façade of large ashlar blocks. The chancel consists of a chancel bay and a semicircular apse, supported by powerful buttresses. A cornice, supported by sculpted corbels, encircles the apse; some motifs on these corbels evoke other Romanesque churches in the region. The chancel vault houses a fresco discovered in 1977 depicting Christ in glory surrounded by the four Evangelists with their symbolic animals. There is also a statue of the Virgin Mary and a large 18th-century cross. In the adjoining cemetery stands a limestone cross resting on an old baptismal font; sculpted motifs of crosses, flowers, and foliage are still visible.

Visit and access: Self-guided tours are possible; keys can be obtained from the Sauvat town hall (04 71 40 64 80).