Priory of Saint Symphorien

The Priory Saint-Symphorien belongs to the abbey of Saint-Victor de Marseille, built in the 11th and 12th centuries. A historical study was conducted by the historian Jean Méhu of Cadenet whose main conclusions are:

Comprising a single nave fifteen meters long, terminated on the east by an apse, this church was perhaps extended to the west by conventual buildings. It has been hypothesised that a fence delimits a courtyard and gives the structure a defensive character. From the beginning, the building built along the path along the Aiguebrun bed would have had a double vocation as a place of worship and refuge for travelers in troubled times. In any case, as we have seen, it is quite possible that the religious establishment was doubled as a precaution, from the eleventh century, of a military structure - in this case a tower, ancestor of the future seigniorial castle. Buoux. According to the authors who were able to work on the site, one can distinguish in Saint-Symphorien, five stages of construction which are spread between the eleventh century and the contemporary period, the magnificent tower-campanile (that one can, alone admire from afar now) dating from the first part of the 12th century. It is possible that the memory of the foundation itself was preserved on a used stone in the wall, above the door of the building.

Wim Willems