Saint-Martin Church of Moissac

This modest church is home to little-known treasures. The oldest church in Moissac, it nearly got destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century by the extension of the railway line and the station. It only owed its last-minute rescue to Armand Viré, Moissac’s first archaeologist, who discovered during excavations(…)

This modest church is home to little-known treasures. The oldest church in Moissac, it nearly got destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century by the extension of the railway line and the station. It only owed its last-minute rescue to Armand Viré, Moissac’s first archaeologist, who discovered during excavations in 1922 a set of wall paintings from the end of the 15th century telling the story of the life of Christ. It was also Armand Viré who discovered, in 1947, an ancient hypocaust (an underfloor heating system from the ancient era), thus revealing the church’s greatest secret: it was built inside a former private bathing resort from the Gallo-Roman era! Excavated several times and suffering from water infiltration problems through the ground due to the railway line, the Saint-Martin church is not open to the public. The Heritage Department of the City of Moissac regularly offers guided tours in the spring and summer. We invite you to consult the program to find out the dates and times (www.abbayemoissac.com).