Prieuré Saint-Pierre

About

The ruins of the ancient Saint-Pierre d’Aspères church, built in the 9th century by the Benedictine monks of Psalmodi: a thousand-year-old site bearing witness to a rich religious and agricultural past.

The ruins of the old Saint-Pierre d’Aspères church, located near the old disused cemetery, bear witness to a rich past. It was probably built by the Benedictines of Psalmodi in the 9th century.

This small priory prospered until the 13th century, when it was home to nearly 150 monks. Throughout this period, the monks cleared and cultivated the surrounding land and woods. Associated with the powerful Abbey of Psalmodi, located near Aigues-Mortes, the priory was one of the stops on their trade routes leading to the Cévennes. At its peak, Psalmodi owned numerous estates, but an overly ambitious expansion policy led to its decline.

With the secularisation of Psalmodi in 1537, the Benedictine priests were replaced by secular priests. The land was leased out, changing the local economy.
The Wars of Religion marked the decline of the site. The church, in ruins since the 17th century, was partially restored before being burned down by the Camisards in 1703. Further damage followed, and the dome was never rebuilt.
After the Revolution, the last priest refused to take the oath and died in deportation. The parish was then attached to others, and it was not until 1854 that a new church was built in the village. The old church gradually fell into oblivion after more than a thousand years of history.

Did you know? St Pierre d’Aspères is located on one of the trade routes developed by the monks of Psalmodi. These routes were used to distribute the order’s produce. Salt, cured meats and, of course, wine were transported here and sold in regions further north.

Spoken languages : French

Location