← Discover Fontans

ÉGLISE SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE - LES ESTRETS

Les Estrets, 48700 Fontans

CallDirections

In medieval times, the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Les Estrets was a private chapel belonging to the Knights of Malta. It was extended in the 19th century with the addition of two further bays and became a parish church in 1846. It still retains symbols of its past as a church of the Knights Hospitaller and features architectural features such as its south portal.

First mentioned in the Middle Ages as a simple private chapel of the Knights of Malta, it became a parish church in 1843. On the oak pulpit is a Maltese cross, symbolising this connection. The south portal of the church is notable for its keystone, where the keystone and a cross are intertwined. It is surmounted by a limestone niche containing a statue of the Virgin Mary. The chancel, meanwhile, is surmounted by a bell gable with two openings, topped by a pinnacle bearing the symbol of the Trinity. Inside, the last bay, with its facing of large granite blocks, is thought to have formed the main part of the chapel in medieval times. The other two bays were added during the 19th century; they can be recognised by their light-coloured plastered vaults. Its chancel houses a magnificent altar made of oak and lime wood, featuring a bas-relief depiction of the Last Supper based on Leonardo da Vinci’s work. A statue of Saint John the Baptist, meanwhile, stands in the baptismal chapel.

Automatically translated

Listing provided by 48-CDT48 (updated by the source on 06/07/2026).

Tourist office data: DATAtourisme, Licence Ouverte (French open licence), updated 28 October 2026.