Since the 11th century, the Saintonge region has been the home of Romanesque churches whose beauty reached their peak in the middle of the 12th century.

A kind of archaic simplicity is found in this squat but elegant architecture, which creates an intimate and welcoming ambiance. Even though each church has some unique feature on its facade or tower, they have similarities which give the impression that they come from the same family. The churches along the pilgrimage route to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle display the famous shell decoration.