Saint-François-Xavier

Much less known than the Cathedral of Saint-Etienne, the Church of the Sacred Heart of Toulouse is one of those hidden treasures that the city offers only to the most curious. And with good reason! This church is actually "hidden" behind a row of buildings and more particularly behind a sort of portal building which is gable on the street.

In the heart of the Saint-Cyprien district, the church of Saint-Nicolas is one of the finest examples of southern Gothic architecture of the 14th and 15th centuries. The history of this edifice is strongly marked by the floods that repeatedly devastated the Left Bank district of Toulouse. This is why the inhabitants chose Saint Nicolas, protector of sailors, as patron saint for their church, which was supposed to save them from sinking.

The church Notre-Dame de la Dalbade is located rue de la Dalbade in the district of the Carmes in Toulouse. It should not be confused with the basilica of the Daurade on the quay of the same name. Its current name comes from the old church which preceded it and which was covered with a white plaster (lime), giving it the name of Santa Maria dealbata (Sainte-Marie la blanche). The present building, rather austere on the outside, is typical of southern Gothic architecture. The first church stood from 541 to the end of the 15th century on the site of the first oratory. It was destroyed by fire on October 27, 1442 along with the rest of the district. In spite of its disappearance, the current name of the Dalbade (which derives from the dealbata) is preserved.