Cordeliers’ Convent of Charlieu

In the meantime, the Franciscans settled temporarily at Avaize, a remote site east of Charlieu, which hindered their pastoral activity, as it required proximity to the population. It was not until 1280 that an agreement was reached between the two institutions, allowing the Franciscans to establish themselves definitively in the neighbouring parish of Saint-Nizier-sous-Charlieu. It has been suggested that the material promoter of the project was Jean Mareschal, which would explain why, by the end of the century, the new convent was already completed. Few records survive concerning this house; it is believed that in 1362 it was almost entirely destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War, as it could not be defended due to its location, far from the town’s fortifications.

Exceptionally, important parts of the complex have been preserved. In 1911, at the last moment, the demolition of the cloister —which had already been sold— was prevented, and it still stands today. The church has also survived; it consists of a single nave and follows the usual layout of medieval mendicant churches, with a timber roof and walls that still show traces of mural decoration. The tomb of Hugues de Châtelus and his wife, Guillemette de Sennecey —benefactors involved in the fifteenth-century reconstruction— is likewise preserved.