Ancien prieuré de Bardanac
AbbeyHidden Treasure
Ancien prieuré de Bardanac, located in Pessac (Gironde), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Abbey
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Pessac, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.7940, -0.6061
- Mérimée Reference
- PA33000019
On the outskirts of Bordeaux, the former priory of Bardanac has watched over the road to Compostelle since the Middle Ages. Its 16th-century frescoes, with their preserved hunting scenes, bear witness to an exceptional past of hospitality and spirituality.
History
Nestling in Pessac, on the south-western edge of Bordeaux, the former priory of Bardanac is one of those discreet monuments that harbour unsuspected treasures. Once the first hospital encountered by pilgrims passing through the gates of Bordeaux on their way to Santiago de Compostela, it embodies eight centuries of hospitality, devotion and social history. Its L-shaped dwelling, with open arcades on a primitive façade, mullioned windows and original roof timbers, offers a striking insight into the civil and religious architecture of the late Middle Ages. What makes Bardanac truly unique is the rare presence of 16th-century wall paintings, still visible on the first floor of the dwelling. Protected by the centuries, these frescoes reveal a landscape planted with two vigorous trees, a lively hunting scene and several compositions arranged in panels. Fragile witnesses to the secular decorative art that adorned the homes of the nobility and clergy during the Renaissance, these painted works make Bardanac a site in its own right in the Gironde's heritage. A visit to the priory invites you to take a timeless stroll. Beneath the arcades that still shelter the original façade, you can see the superimposition of eras: each stone, each mullioned window frame tells the story of the site's evolution from its medieval origins to its Jesuit transformations in the 17th century. The disappearance of the chapel, sacrificed to the widening of a road in the 19th century, does nothing to detract from the emotion of these places steeped in memory. The surrounding area, close to the vineyards and residential areas of Pessac, creates a striking contrast between the modernity of the Bordeaux metropolis and the age of the priory. For the attentive walker or lover of medieval heritage, Bardanac represents a rare stopover, far from the crowds, where the silence of the place still converses with the shadows of the pilgrims of yesteryear.
Architecture
The logis de Bardanac today takes the form of a truncated L-shaped building, of which only the east-west wing remains after the north-south wing was removed in the 19th century. Built at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, it illustrates the civil and prioral architecture of the south-west at the end of the Middle Ages, with a sobriety characteristic of provincial religious establishments. The main facade, partially protected by a gallery of arcades added later, retains its original appearance: mullioned windows on the north side, ashlar frames and old doors with moulded architraves bear witness to the care taken with the building despite its primarily charitable purpose. The interior reveals some remarkable features, starting with the original roof timbers that crown the first floor, intact despite the centuries. It is on this level that the priory's treasure is displayed: a collection of 16th-century mural paintings arranged in panels on the walls. They include a landscape with two stylised trees, a hunting scene with horsemen and animals, and other compositions that can only be partially interpreted due to their state of preservation. These frescoes, probably painted under the Jesuits or their immediate predecessors, belong to the secular decorative tradition of the Southern Renaissance. The materials used are typical of Gironde construction at the time: local limestone for the load-bearing walls and sculpted elements, hollow tiles for the roof and oak for the framework. The partially preserved outbuildings bear witness to the organisation of a medium-sized priory estate, which was autonomous in its day-to-day management.
Related Figures
Flameric de Lachapelle — propriétaire du domaine à partir de 1810, il perpétua l'accueil des pèlerins dans le bâtiment du porchePèlerins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle — usagers historiques de l'hôpital médiéval dès le XIIIe siècleJésuites de Bordeaux — administrateurs du prieuré de 1600 à la RévolutionPrieur inconnu du XIVe siècle — responsable de la transformation de l'hôpital en prieuréCommanditaire des fresques (anonyme) — commanditaire probable des peintures murales du XVIe siècle
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ancien prieuré de Bardanac located?
Ancien prieuré de Bardanac is located in Pessac, Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Ancien prieuré de Bardanac built?
Ancien prieuré de Bardanac dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Ancien prieuré de Bardanac open to visitors?
Ancien prieuré de Bardanac is currently closed to visitors.