EXCURSIONS IN ARDECHE  

In the heart of Natural reserve
Regional of the Mounts of Ardèche

ROMANCE CHURCH

Old sanctuary of priory Benedictine depend on Abbey of "Chaise dieu", the church is witness by the ancestral christian faith of Vivarais, certainly marked by the vicissitudes of the history and more particularly by the wars of religion.
Its recent restoration emphasizes remarkable architectural elements well.
The church and the masonry of the priory built on an eminence, are at equal distance of the hamlets of "Serret and Très-le-Serre". A side of the church, the religious building included two building, the coupled house prieurale wjith the monument sheltered the monks. the apartments were laid out around a staircase in still visible spiral.
In 1555, the cardinal "François de Tournon", abbot partner of "la Chaise Dieu" and uncle of "Charles de Tournon", bishop of "Viviers", give the priory of Pranles to the Jésuite college of Tournon.
In 1578, the priory and the church are ransacked and partly destroyed during religions disorders. The village did not escape from vagueness from alienations from temporal decided by the Royale authority and the local authorities from XVI century. In 1603, a part of the grounds of the priory is sold with the public bidding.
The XII ^2nd century nave is Romance, undoubtedly a reconstitution of a former building which would have collapsed. Arch chorus, side chapels and frontages dates, in their current version, the XVII ^2nd century. They had partly been destroyed during the wars of religion at the XVI ^2nd century end.

For the photographs, we make a point of thanking Mr Vidal and Mr de La Garde
Text largely inspired of the document published by L'ARREP