Basilique Saint Eutrope, Saintes, 2017

The Basilique Saint Eutrope de Saintes sits atop the hill on the East side of the River Charente in France. Saint Eutrope de Saintes is one of two notable visits on the hill above the old Roman town and it is best to allow sufficient time to visit both on the same walk. We walked up the hill from the center of town, about a half hour walk, and walked back after touring both sites. It was a full and tiring afternoon.

As with many churches sections from different eras that sit adjacent to each other, layers of history was added to a site that likely began in prehistoric times. The view here shows a Romanesque portion of the church in front of a Gothic section which was completed later. Given the prominence of the site it is likely there was a Roman temple there originally.

The church was originally a part of a Priory built to provide a destination for pilgrims along the route to Santiago. The monks located the Priory there to house and feed the pilgrims and to provide them with the opportunity to see the relics of St Eutrope, one of the earliest Christian martyrs in France.