Port-Sainte-Marie : Ancient temple church

In the 12th century, the knights of the order of the temple settled in the Neracais region. Their popularity has led to an influx of donations, which allowed the creation of several houses around. In the 13th century, the Templars moved to Port-Sainte-Marie where they built a house and a church. In 1298, they exchanged all their property and rights in Port-Sainte-Marie for the barns of Bonnefond and Lannes. The church, which has become abandoned after their departure, was restored and resumed its religious activity at the beginning of the 17th century, when the parish was officially transferred. After being closed during the terror or left disused, it was reopened to worship in 1796, before being taken up by the White Penitents after the Revolution. The church, with its unique architecture, derogates from the usual standards of the order of the temple, which favored elliptical or circular forms in homage to the temple of Jerusalem. It is made up of two sections: a square part to the west, which constitutes the nave with its aisles, and a rectangular part in the east, forming the choir. The bell tower stands at the northwest corner and has a pronaos accessible by a walled arcade. The double tower, with two levels, rises above the roof. The windows may have an old arrangement, kept on two openings, where the amounts are connected to third of their height by a lintel, supporting a small square pillar in the center, thus forming a T structure.