Discover Montjoire

Montjoire offers several starting points for planning your trip: architectural history, a medieval connection and a puzzle trail for children. The Church of Saint-Saturnin and the chapel can be placed in context through their construction dates and materials; the Croix de la Bourelle is associated with an event in 1211. There is also a fun puzzle trail for children aged four to ten. This lets you weigh up whether historical connections or a more playful focus should feature more prominently in your trip. The buildings date from different periods, while the puzzle trail offers a different way to explore.

Church and chapel: different construction dates

The Church of Saint-Saturnin was built between 1886 and 1892. Its bell tower was built in 1889, within the church’s construction period. The two dates refer to different time frames: a period is given for the church, and a single year for the bell tower. Compared with the chapel, which dates from 1876, Saint-Saturnin belongs to the later of the two construction phases. If you want to understand Montjoire through its architectural history, you can distinguish between the older chapel and the later church.

The chapel in Montjoire was built in 1876 by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Toulouse for the school. Its walls consist of alternating layers of red bricks and pebbles from the Garonne. The chapel can therefore be described both in terms of its purpose and date of construction, and through the specific design of its walls. The masonry combines two named materials in alternating courses; the year it was built also provides a point of comparison with the later church. Anyone interested in architecture will find here not only a chronology but also a precise construction detail.

Historical connections in Montjoire

The Croix de la Bourelle shifts the focus from architectural history to a medieval connection. It is regarded as evidence of a bloody episode in Cathar history and is associated with an event in 1211. At that time, crusaders were ambushed outside Montjoire and massacred by the Count of Foix. This connection involves a specific year, place and the groups involved. For visitors interested in medieval history, it is a distinct subject alongside the construction dates of the church and chapel.

The Vierge à l’enfant stands at the entrance to the chapel. It is regarded as the only statue to have survived from old Montjoire. This brings together two different historical connections at the chapel: its construction for the school in 1876 and the statue’s link to older Montjoire. The single work of sculpture adds another detail to the architectural history, distinct from the dates of the church and bell tower.

Puzzle trail for children

A 1.9 km puzzle trail adds a playful option. It is intended for children aged four to ten and is offered at three difficulty levels. The activity includes a puzzle booklet. Its length, age group and format give you concrete points to consider when planning a trip with children in this age range. The three levels are another aspect of the activity to take into account when making your decision. Check locally to see whether the puzzle booklet is available.

Discover more destinations

Saint-Gaudens, Bagnères-De-Luchon, Grenade, Ore, Donneville, Gratens, Merville, Sainte-Foy-Dʼaigrefeuille

For the overview of the wider region: Haute-Garonne.