The church at Piépape is notable for its cylindrical bell tower (32 metres high), which is very rare in the region. The building dates from the 19th century, with the exception of the chancel, which dates from the second half of the 12th century, and the former seigneurial chapel from the 13th century. The nave was rebuilt in the 18th century and the porch tower dates from 1834. With an elongated floor plan, the building comprises a single-nave church covered by a false barrel vault, a porch tower with a square base surmounted by a circular section crowned with a zinc bell tower, and a choir with two bays vaulted with ribbed vaults, ending in a flat chevet.
This church is already mentioned in the 12th-century chronicles of Béze Abbey. ‘Robert, priest of Pleopapa’ officiated in this ancient sanctuary. With its small windows and two rusticated pillars, the chancel retains the distinctive character of the Romanesque style. Adjacent to it stands an elegant 14th-century chapel, featuring beautiful ribbing, a Gothic door and pointed-arch windows. It was the feudal chapel; an underground vault still houses the tombs of the former lords.
The bell tower is unique in France: it is a round tower 32 metres high, topped by a terrace bordered by a parapet and surmounted by a belfry. Why such a tower in Piépape, in every respect resembling a lighthouse? Folklore is rich in legends…
The wife of a sailor who went missing at sea is said to have bequeathed funds for the reconstruction of the bell tower, requesting that it be an exact replica of a lighthouse, in memory of her husband whom she wished to honour.
Another legend has it that the round shape was chosen by the local councillors of the time because the contractor was demanding an exorbitant sum to rebuild a square tower, due to the high cost of the corner stones. The round tower, they were told, would cost half as much.
How much truth is there in this? The village archives reveal ‘a contract for the reconstruction of the Piépape church tower awarded to Mr Pochiet for the sum of 5,582.30 francs. Author of the estimate and site supervisor: Mr Minguet of Langres, 7 November 1834”.
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Piépape
