Abbey of Saint-Girons d'Hagetmau
Abbaye de Saint-Girons / Saint-Gérons / S Gerontius
(Hagetmau, Landes)
The crypt
The history of the Abbey of Saint-Girons d'Hagetmau is little known. Its origins may date back to ancient times and are linked to a monastic community formed around the tomb of Saint Gerontius (Girons), a martyr who evangelized these lands around the 5th century. According to tradition, the foundation of this monastery is placed during the era of Charlemagne. It is also mentioned that in 845, the Normans destroyed a mill owned by the religious community of Saint-Girons.
The Abbey of Saint-Girons is documented from the 12th century. In 1116 and 1117, its abbots are mentioned in a donation made to the Cathedral of Lescar. It was a modest Benedictine monastery, which was secularized around 1330, at which point it came under the administration of a community of canons. Saint-Girons suffered the effects of the Hundred Years' War and the commendatory regime adopted later. Even more severe was the attack in 1569 during the Wars of Religion: the monastery was set on fire, and several canons lost their lives. The collegiate church was minimally reorganized around 1650 but was suppressed in 1791 due to the Revolution.
Subsequently, the site was put to various uses. It housed first the Ursulines and later the Jesuits, until it became a parish church. During this period, the church featured medieval elements, with a Romanesque part and other added during later restorations. Due to its state of deterioration, it was decided to construct a new church. Thus, in 1904, the old building was demolished, preserving only the crypt. This crypt, already protected as a historical monument since 1840, was restored between 2013 and 2015. It retains a remarkable ensemble of 14 capitals: four on the central columns and ten more attached to the surrounding walls.
Schematic plan of the crypt
Old postcard, private collection
Old postcard (L. Dubroca, 1904)
Bibliothèque Pireneas (Pau)
Université Bordeaux Montaigne / Fonds Brutails
- CABANOT, Jean (1978). Gascogne romane. Zodiaque. La nuit des temps
- CABRERO-RAVEL, Laurence (2023). La crypte d’Hagetmau, un décor sculpté d'exception. Le Festin, núm. 125
- COTTINEAU, Laurent-Henri (1939). Répertoire topo-bibliographique des abbayes et prieurés. Vol. 2. Mâcon: Protat
- GUÉRIN, Paul (1888). Les Petits Bollandistes. Vies des saints. Vol. 6. París: Bloud et Barral
- MEYRANX, Abbé (1890). Saint-Girons. Son culte, sa crypte, sa collégiale. Dax: Labèque
- SAINT-MAUR, Congregació de (1715). Gallia Christiana in provincias ecclesiasticas distributa. Vol. 1. París: Coignard
- TAILLEBOIS, Emile (1889). La crypte de Saint-Girons à Hagetmau. Congrès archéologique de France, LV session. París: Picard
The crypt is located west of the centre of Hagetmau, a town situated south of Mont-de-Marsan