Church of Saint-Michel-et-Saint-Blaise

About this building

The Church of Saint-Michel-et-Saint-Blaise, listed as a historical monument, is located in Sigale, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The village of Sigale was created in the 14th century by the merging of two villages: Cigale and Cigalon. The church of Saint-Michel and Saint Blaise was built at the junction of the villages. In the 13th century, the nave was built by the Templars on the site of an ancient Temple of Diana. In the sixteenth century, the vicar general of the bishopric of Glandèves authorised the construction of a side aisle on the south side of the church. In the 17th century, a chapel of white penitents was built on the south flank of this collateral but it was later destroyed.

The neo-Romanesque church, rarely for buildings in this region, is composed of a four bay nave and a choir with a semicircular chevet.

A collateral of three vaulted spans of ogives is separated from the nave by three semicircular arches resting on columns with carved capitals. A chapel, placed south of the choir, ensures the continuity of this collateral while a sacristy is contiguous to the south wall of this chapel. A bell tower with three arches covers the western gable.

The church contains, among other treasures, a beautiful altar painting, a Virgin of the Rosary and Mysteries, by Jean Rocca, and many statues and paintings, busts and sacerdotal objects. The cult of Saint Lucia was introduced in Sigale in the 17th century. Relics of the saint are kept in wrought iron and gilded wood sockets.