St. Bertrand Des Comminges, Exterior

Our next stop, March 25th-26^th, was St. Bertrand des Comminges and its cathedral. The cathedral is of interest largely for its age, founded in the 11^th century, the usual ramshackle Romanesque-then Gothic affair. But old, with recycling of earlier Medieval pieces and also some Roman. The organ is one of the best such in France, renovated to 17^th century standards, and we enjoyed a rehearsal as we toured. The choir carvings are not in a class with, e.g., Auch, but they are still nice, especially for being locally done. The choir and rood screen carvings were not completed until 1535, and, understandably, they were not taken down as ordered by the Council of Trent. It is truly an out-of-the-way place, a cathedral in a village of 250.

Cathedral on a hill, above the Gallo-Roman town of
Lugdunum Convenarum (more later)

Recycled 11th-12th century puppy dog outside one of
Comminges' portals; we've seen this style before...secular
Norman, near Hereford, England

And this guy too, other side of the structure

Some beautiful restoration in the village

Interesting: flying buttresses on the
Romanesque part of  the cathedral...

Integral on the Gothic

Tympanum: adoration of the Magi

Recycled from the Roman town below

Ditto

And more in the little cloister; it all started
out as an abbey

Cloister