POCHAT PASCAL

Superb exhibition but a bit pricey ... to access the Treasury, one must pass through the remains of the cloister. It is one of the five great European treasures of medieval goldsmithery. One of the rare remains of a saint is the skull of Saint Foy. A former Christian teenager martyred in 303 in Agen, she is encased in an exceptional statue. Seated on a throne and crowned, the majesty of Saint Foy is the only preserved copy of the pre-Romanesque relic statues. Housed in a room, the relics are cherished. They could have been confiscated in 1793. But, cunningly, locals hid them in their homes and gardens, only to return them later. Thus, the priceless heritage was saved.

The treasury attached to the church of Ste Foy has a number of early wonderful reliquaries. However, the one devoted to the titular saint, Sainte Foy, is a dazzling reliquary. It incorporates a Roman figure of a child and is covered in gold foil, gemstones, agates, antique cameos--plus the remains of the saint. A real tour de force. It actually resided in the town of Agen but the saint's remains were stolen (the delicate church term is "translated") to Conques by Conques' monks to boost the town's commercial status as a pilgrimage site. It remains an important site on the Camino de Santiago, the great continuing pilgrimage trek that runs through Europe to the town of Santiago de Compostela in NW Spain. That is one of the three most important medieval pilgrimage routes; you can still see pilgrims come to Conques.

Trop cher et surestimé ... 😒 Over priced and over rated...😒