Eglise Saint-Martial

Like a lookout, the spire of Saint-Martial church marks out the town of Le Douhet. The square bell tower, probably rebuilt in the 15th century, has a small bell tower at each of its corners. This late Romanesque building, dating from the middle of the 12th century, has a single nave ending in an apse. The western façade is the most beautifully decorated part of the building. You can admire the dense plant decoration on the arches of the portal and the side arcades, decorated with stems adorned with pearls. The portal features a mixture of fantastic animals and scenes from the Scriptures, such as the Paschal Lamb adored by angels, the Apostles surrounding Christ in Majesty, and the Descent from the Cross. Inside the choir, a number of Romanesque capitals have been preserved, depicting griffins and lions, as well as a bird with outstretched wings, similar to the one in the bell tower of the Abbaye-aux-Dames in Saintes, and "the torture of the Miser" (his purse hanging from his neck, dragged along by two devils). A 15th-century mural depicts the martyrdom of a bishop. The church is open and accessible to pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.