NIORT, Charente, Address available on request

The sober chapel of the former Niort Carmelite convent, a haven of calm and serenity very close to the centre, overlooking the town. The chapel owes its proud appearance to its height - it seems to spring from the ground - and its pure dressed stonework. Projecting buttresses line the facade and punctuate the bays on the outside. The openings are round-headed, and a rose window crowns the portal facing the street. By using the Romanesque architectural style, the 19th century builders opted for sobriety, in keeping with the religious congregation for which they worked. 
The interior is striking for its sheer size, which seems to exceed a floor area of 352 m² and a height of 14 m at the crossing. The interior also exudes an immediate sense of peace of mind. The limestone slab-paved floor rises slightly towards the raised choir. Barrel vaults separate the three bays of the nave, once you have passed through a sort of narrow narthex under the gallery alongside the facade. The transept is short, with a semi-dome apse. The stained glass windows are still in place, most of them in good condition. The slate roof was redone after the storm of 1999, and the interior was thoroughly cleaned in 2005, resulting in a much brighter appearance.