Eglise St-Lazare, Avallon, Burgundy

L'Eglise St-Lazare, Avallon

Links to Autun Cathédral St-Lazare and Vézelay Basilique Ste-Madeleine

Links to other examples of Zodiac Signs and Labours of the Month in Britain, France and Italy

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The church of St-Lazare in Avallon, at one stage a Clunaic Priory, rode along with the roller coaster ride of Avallon itself as invasions by Saracens, English et al and the ramifications of the political fortunes of Burgundy swept backwards and forwards over the countryside, and it added a pièce de résistance of its own through the acquisition of the major pilgrim draw card of (part of) the skull of Lazarus.

Despite a lot of bits missing, knocked down, blocked off etc, it still has an attractive feel about it.

The surviving two doorways from the 1100s build have one remaining tympanum and one lintel and one portal statue between them.

Plus, the main reason for our visit, the weathered remnants of sculptured Zodiac signs and a few monthly labour scenes. The Zodiac sculptures are more attractively detailed than their simpler and more renovated cousins in Autun and Vezelay, especially considering their exposed location and the amount of rebuilding turmoil that has gone on around them over the centuries.

10 out of 12 of the Zodiac signs are now positioned in the top part of the third archivolt. Monthly activities and at least one repeat zodiac are to be found to either side, though they are mostly not easily recognizable because of weathering.

The church is at the far end of the pedestrian main street to the main access road, where parking is plentiful but always full ! There must be a back way into town, and if you can find it it is much easier to find a park on the church side of the river.

Collecting faggots (December ?) and Mid-Winter (Winter Solstice December 22) (we think .... there is a similarly seated figure without gear on in the summer solstice position in Autun and some other places)