In the Aude, the mysterious treasure of the abbey of Saint

Moaning with all his broad muzzle, the furious bull, maddened by a stinger who goaded him, tore himself from the ground. Hampered by the feet to the hind legs of the animal, a serene man blesses with his long hand two weeping women, as well as anyone who stops in front of the representation of his ordeal. His immobility contrasts with the powerful movement of the beast which seems to suffer more than him. Combining a striking realism and a contemplative spirituality, the master of Cabestany thus depicts the martyrdom of Saint-Sernin on a white marble sarcophagus, the jewel of the abbey of Saint-Hilaire (Aude).

From the artist who sculpted this masterpiece in the twelfthe century, we only know the mystery. Remaining anonymous, the master of Cabestany is only known for the splendor of his art. “Triangular faces, small noses, almond-shaped eyes, long hands… we have reconstructed through the works the corpus of this itinerant master who had a workshop of disciples”, explains Fabien Masjuan, heritage assistant who has been guiding tours of the abbey for seventeen years, with his colleague Nadia Imelhaine and a work-study student, Maël Raynaud.

The sublime smile of the Virgin of Cabestany

The “artistic” birth certificate of the master dates from 1930, when, during the renovation of the church of Cabestany (Pyrénées-Orientales), an exceptional Romanesque tympanum was unearthed in which appears in majesty a Virgin of the Assumption. with closed eyes and a sublime smile. Then begins the identification of works scattered over the Mediterranean arc. “More than 120 sculpted pieces have been brought to his credit (at least that of his workshop) in an area that encompasses southern and northern Catalonia, the department of Aude, but also Navarre and even Tuscany”, according to Marie Costa, organizer of the traveling exhibition “Les chemins du maître de Cabestany” which stopped off in Saint-Hilaire this spring.

Founded under Charlemagne, the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire attracts visitors from far and wide. “For most, the abbey is a feeling. They love the gentle sound of the fountain, the serenity of the cloister, the human-sized welcome, the intimate and family side. Others come especially for the sarcophagus in front of which they swoon », says Fabien Masjuan. This Romanesque treasure is a universe: 33 characters and nine monsters or beasts recounting the life of Saint Sernin, from his departure from Rome until his martyrdom around the year 250 in Toulouse, and the ascent of his soul to heaven represented by a child trained by an angel.

Saint-Hilaire “invented” champagne by accident

A Gothic cloister, the tomb of Count Roger of Carcassonne and his wife Adélaïde, a pulpit with a unique resonance in France, a rich painted ceiling with two unexpected bawdy scenes. The abbey is full of surprises. It prides itself on having invented sparkling wines, including blanquette de Limoux… and champagne!

In its deep, humid cellars, the white grapes bubbled up in 1531, by accident. Its Benedictine monks tasted and then produced sparkling wines that the lords of Arques and Joyeuse loved. In the XVIIe century, a certain Dom Pérignon brought this vinification method back to the Marne to experiment with it in the vineyards of Champagne… with the result that we know.

“The abbey is an emblem. We are proud to live in the village that created champagne. It is also our church, for celebrations and mourning,” explains Vincent Murphy who has just reinterpreted the building in a poster with refined graphics and delicate colors, sold as a postcard in the village. The abbey enhances its territory with local products: still or sparkling wines, honeys, herbal teas, medieval meads…

Walks between vineyards and olive trees

Saint-Hilaire can also be discovered from its hills where vineyards, olive trees, wheat, fig trees and oaks stand side by side. The Saint-Hilaire winegrower’s abbey association in the Lauquet valley organizes walks there. The wildest allows you to discover very ancient remains at a place called Pech. ” Here, shows Thérèse Del Vals volunteer guide, there was a medieval village with its church. » A mill, grain silos, several anthropomorphic tombs dug in the stone attest to this. Excavations are continuing there, because, says Thérèse Del Vals “Saint-Hilaire still has other heritage treasures to discover”.

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Practical Guide

► Go there

Saint-Hilaire in the Aude is a village of 800 inhabitants near
from Carcassonne and Limoux. On site, shops, restaurants and accommodation.

saint-hilaire-aude.fr or payscathare.org

► Visit

Abbey, church ramp,
11250 Saint-Hilaire

abbey@saint-hilaire-aude.fr

Prices: Adult €5.50,
Family pass: €12

► Walk

The Saint-Hilaire Winegrower’s Abbey Association in the Lauquet Valley organizes walks with guided tours and tasting of wines and local products.

Limouxin Tourist Office: limouxin-tourisme.fr

► Read

The Master of Cabestanyby André Bonnery (Editions MSM, 32 p., €5.90)

The Master of Cabestanya beautiful collective book by art historians is out of print, but available on second-hand sites (Zodiac, 224 p., around €100).

In the Aude, the mysterious treasure of the abbey of Saint-Hilaire