FRANCE
55 km from Vielha
The stones of Saint Bertrand de Comminges, a former Roman city founded in 1 BC, have witnessed over 2000 years of history. Rising up between heaven and earth, against the pristine backdrop of the foothills of the Pyrenees, the former Cathedral of Notre Dame de Saint Bertrand de Comminges is a true spiritual fortress, surrounded by Renaissance-style wooden houses that are retained by a wall cut into the living rock.
At the foot of the hill lie the ruins of the ancient city of Lugdunum Convenae and the remains of many Gallo-Roman buildings, including a temple built of Pyrenean marble, the forum, the thermal baths, the theatre and a small Christian basilica.
Until the 16th century, the cathedral of Saint Bertrand de Comminges, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, was continuously embellished with architectural and ornamental elements features representing the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles.
Finally, the basilica of Saint-Just-de-Valcabrère is worthy of note: together with the cathedral of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.
