Star-shaped frame		Pyrénées-Atlantiques A brief history... At a bend in the valley watered by a small affluent of the Oloron torrent lies a small but robust church, the only remains of a medieval hospital. Standing at the intersection of three of the four main routes to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, this was a welcome stop for pilgrims. The first official mention of Saint-Blaise hospital is found in the will of the bishop of Oloron in 1308, but by then the building was already almost two hundred years old. An amazing study of the annual growth rings (tree-ring dating) of the timber used in the rafters has shown that the trees used were felled in 1148 ! Listed as a historical monument in 1888 but considered too rustic, the church was radically restored in the 1900s: the sacristy was demolished, the doorway removed and the oak-chip roof replaced by slates. Most of the current work, seeking to respect the original architecture, consists of rediscovering the characteristics, materials and construction methods used one thousand years ago.

Romanesque treasures The church of Saint-Blaise hospital is based on a "Greek cross", also found in some Navarre churches. Its four branches are equal and the point of the central tower is exactly in the middle. This very simple monument, built from local shale with some yellow sandstone, is famous for its star-shaped dome which covers and illuminates the transept crossing.

Overview

The wooden cornices in the chevet are also remarkable. Of Moorish inspiration, they have no equivalent in either France or Spain. The windows and openings in the cupola have sandstone openwork railings, a rarety in this land of stained-glass windows.

		Église de L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise 64 130 L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise	Visiting times The church is open daily from 10am to 7pm. Information from the Soule Tourist Office: Phone: 05 59 28 02 37 Groups: book up in advance by ringing 05 59 66 11 12 or by sending a fax to 05 59 66 19 20 E-mail: office-tourisme.soule@wanadoo.fr

Special features: Guided tour using an automatic audio machine with sound and light in seven languages. Access: Take the Artix exit from the A64 and follow signs to Mourenx on the D111. After Navarrenx, there is road access 8 km along the D936 heading for Oloron-Sainte-Marie.

Sandstone railing