The church of Saint-Laurent de Palluau belonged to a former priory dependent on the Abbey of Saint-Genou (Indre), situated a short distance to the east. It is the only identifiable remains of that monastic establishment. The church can be dated to the 11th and 12th centuries. It was originally dedicated to Notre-Dame, but around the 15th century its dedication was changed to Saint Lawrence. Little is known about this house, as the Abbey of Saint-Genou itself has not preserved its documentation.
In 1773, the monastery of Saint-Genou was suppressed and, following the Revolution, in 1792, Saint-Laurent passed into private ownership. Although deconsecrated, converted into a dwelling and subjected to periods of neglect, the church still preserves much of its original structure, including a crypt. It consists of a single nave ending in a semicircular apse. The site is best known for its surviving wall paintings, dating from the 12th century, to which further paintings were added in the 15th century, probably in connection with the change in the church's dedication to Saint Lawrence. Among the earlier paintings are a Virgin in Majesty and a Christ with the Tetramorph.
Crypt
- BRYANT, Simon (2006). Palluau-sur-Indre (Indre). Rue Basse et rue de Verdun (prieuré Saint-Laurent). Archéologie médiévale, 36
- COTTINEAU, Laurent-Henri (1939). Répertoire topo-bibliographique des abbayes et prieurés. Vol. 2. Mâcon: Protat
- FAVIÈRE, Jean (1970). Berry roman. La nuit des temps, 32. Zodiaque
- HUBERT, Eugène (1889). Dictionnaire historique, géographique et statistique de l'Indre. Châteauroux: Badel
- LAMY (1902). Archiprêtré du Blanc. Bulletin de la Société académique du Centre, núm. 8/1. Académie du Centre
The chapel is situated in the commune of Palluau-sur-Indre, northwest of Châteauroux