Rupestral Church of Vals

Extraordinary and mysterious

Due to major restoration work, the church at Vals is closed until 2024. The interior of the church is not accessible.

Near Mirepoix, the small village of Vals hides a treasure, the three-level semi-rock church, known for the Romanesque frescoes it contains, of great historical and artistic interest. Sculpted into the rock, this church is a true jewel of Pyrenean Romanesque art.

A church in the rock

3,000 years of history await you here. But it wasn’t until the 19th century that Abbé Durand discovered this troglodyte church and its exceptional frescoes. It was listed as a historic monument in 1910.

The church can already be traced back to the 11th century: it has undergone numerous renovations and extensions over the centuries, enabling it to reach our present day.

The originality of this church lies in its three-tiered construction: it has risen over time: the crypt, then the apse and finally an upper part that acts as the nave with the beautiful tower dedicated to the archangel Saint Michael.

A setting for a rare and precious jewel…

Frescoes

Hidden in the rock

Due to major restoration work, the church in Vals is closed until 2024. The interior of the church is not accessible.

It all starts with the entrance to the church… It’s through a crack between two Poudingue rocks. The mystery begins! The crypt is built into the rock. This is the oldest part of the building. The walls are thick and light barely filters through fine openings, contributing to the atmosphere of mystery and contemplation of this unusual chapel.

A few steps lead us up to the frescoes. For the exceptional character of the cave church is not just linked to its troglodyte appearance! Here, your eyes are drawn to a treasure preserved since the 12th century: superb Romanesque frescoes of Catalan origin. They have affinities with those of neighboring Spanish Catalonia. They illustrate three periods in the life of Jesus, from his birth to the Last Judgment.

Thanks to the miracle achieved by the restoration campaigns, the colors of the frescoes are almost as they were in their earliest days… A chance to admire these frescoes in their original setting, in the contemplation of the place for which they were designed, and not in the cold context of a museum.

In the upper part is the modern church. From here, you can access a terrace for a commanding view of the village and surrounding area.