Eglise Saint-Michel
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Michel, located in Salon-de-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.6405, 5.0983
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081462
Nestling in the heart of Salon-de-Provence, Saint-Michel church, with its golden Provencal stonework, is a rare example of 13th-15th century religious architecture in the Arles region.
History
The church of Saint-Michel rises out of the tightly woven fabric of old Salon-de-Provence like a thousand-year-old landmark, its pale limestone walls absorbing and reflecting the low-angled light of the Crau. A listed monument since 1983, it belongs to that family of Provençal religious buildings that have survived the centuries without ever losing their soul, crafted by local masons who knew how to make the most of the abundant limestone in the region. What makes Saint-Michel truly unique is the legible stratification of its two major building campaigns: a 13th-century framework, sober and powerful in the late Romanesque tradition of Provence, to which the 15th century added flamboyant Gothic elements that dialogue with the austerity of the original building. This tension between two aesthetics, far from being a dissonance, gives the building a narrative depth that few churches of its size can claim. The experience of visiting is one of contemplation and patient discovery. After getting used to the semi-darkness of the interior, your eyes gradually pick out the sculpted capitals, the ribbing of the vaults and the traces of polychrome plasterwork that remind you that these walls were once covered with painted decorations. The current sobriety is in itself a document: it tells of the Catholic Reformation, the destruction of the Revolution and the restorations of the 19th century. Set in a densely populated working-class district, Saint-Michel can also be appreciated from the street, where its portal features a discreet but meticulous sculptural programme, testimony to the skill of Provençal stonemasons at the end of the Middle Ages. Salon-de-Provence, the town of Nostradamus and the Armée de l'Air, is well worth devoting a whole day to: Saint-Michel, along with the Château de l'Empéri, is one of the two mainstays of the town's heritage.
Architecture
The church of Saint-Michel belongs to the type of Provençal church with a single nave, an architectural formula that was dominant in this region from the Middle Ages to the 15th century, and which clearly distinguishes Provence from the Gothic schools of northern France. The wide, compact nave is covered by a pointed barrel vault, the thrust of which is countered by thick gutter walls pierced by shallow side chapels, advantageously replacing the system of buttresses and flying buttresses characteristic of the Northern Gothic style. This economy of structure produces a powerfully unified interior space, bathed in subdued light in warm tones that the limestone walls generously reproduce. The 15th-century style can be seen mainly in the treatment of the western portal and in the ribbing of the vaults in certain bays. The portal, carved from fine-grained local limestone, features a sober decorative programme in which stylised plant motifs and pointed arch mouldings bear witness to the mastery of Salonnais stonemasons at the end of the Gothic period. The capitals that punctuate the engaged columns and interior pilasters combine formulas from the late Romanesque heritage with Gothic innovations, creating the mixed vocabulary so characteristic of Provençal provincial art. The materials used are those of the local area: cream to golden-coloured shell limestone extracted from quarries in the vicinity, the careful cutting of which reveals a high level of craftsmanship. The low-sloped roof, as is customary in the south of France, is covered with canal tiles whose reddish patina contrasts with the paleness of the walls. The compact, squat structure fits perfectly into the dense fabric of old Salon, and is one of its oldest topographical and symbolic landmarks.
Related Figures
Archevêques d'Arles (XIIIe siècle) — seigneurs ecclésiastiques de Salon, commanditaires présumés de la première campagne de constructionNostradamus (1503-1566) — astrologue et médecin célébrissime établi à Salon-de-Provence, contemporain de la ville médiévale et paroissien de ses églisesRené d'Anjou (1409-1480) — roi René, dernier comte de Provence indépendant, sous le règne duquel furent entrepris de nombreux chantiers religieux provençauxAdam de Craponne (1527-1576) — ingénieur hydraulique salonnais, contemporain du monument, figure majeure de la Renaissance en ProvenceViollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) — théoricien et maître des restaurations du XIXe siècle dont l'influence sur les chantiers provençaux fut déterminante
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Michel located?
Eglise Saint-Michel is located in Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Michel built?
Eglise Saint-Michel dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Michel open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Michel is currently closed to visitors.