COLLÉGIALE NOTRE-DAME DE LA CARCE

The first church in Marvejols dates from the late 12th century. It became a collegiate church in 1310. This church suffered greatly during the Wars of Religion. Restoration and reconstruction work lasted throughout the second half of the 17th century. The Church of Notre-Dame de la Carce bears witness to the renewal of religious architecture in 17th-century France, a reaction against the Reformation. It is therefore no coincidence that, in Lozère, it is in Marvejols, a stronghold of Protestantism in Gévaudan, that the influence of Jesuit models is most evident: the church's layout, the simplicity of the exterior façade, the care taken with the portals... The current large bell tower was, in the 17th century, topped by a dome. The richly decorated interior features a statue of Our Lady of La Carce holding the infant Jesus by the hand, a listed pulpit, an organ, murals, and a chapel dedicated to Saint Roch, a reminder that the town and the Gévaudan region were victims of the plague from 1720 to 1723. "This building testifies to the application of post-Tridentine principles in religious architecture. Destroyed in 1586, it was rebuilt from 1654 to 1681, following the spirit of the Society of Jesus. From 1860 to 1867, Marcellin Laporte executed the interior painted decoration. In 1893-1895, corner turrets and buttresses were added to the exterior." Information from the Mérimée database

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