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The painted churches around Gannat

Published 5 November 2026

Around Gannat, some twenty churches still have wall paintings from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Together they form the Route des églises peintes du Bourbonnais (the Bourbonnais painted churches route). Most can be visited freely and at no charge during the day, all year round: Jenzat, Biozat, Escurolles and Sainte-Croix in Gannat are open even in winter. Here are the ones to see near Gannat and how to visit them.

The Bourbonnais painted churches route

The route is run by the association La Route des Églises Peintes du Bourbonnais, based in Jenzat. It lists 25 churches in the Allier, from Gannat to Souvigny, Hérisson and Huriel; the Val de Sioule tourist office counts around fifteen in its own area. The association's website offers a map and a page for each church (in French), with opening times.

Visits are free and unaccompanied. Guided tours are also organised: ask the association on 06 70 13 64 80 or the Val de Sioule tourist office.

Jenzat, the one not to miss

The Église Saint-Martin in Jenzat is the best known on the route. This Romanesque church from the 11th and 12th centuries, enlarged in the 15th, is covered with wall paintings done in distemper. They tell the Passion of Christ, the life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and show a procession of worshippers at prayer, often linked to the plague epidemics. The Romanesque capitals feature musicians and acrobats.

From 1 November to 31 March, the church is open every day from 8 am to 4.30 pm, and entry is free. Allow about an hour. A QR code gives access to an audio tour.

Jenzat is also the village of hurdy-gurdy makers. The Maison du Luthier, 8 rue des Luthiers, is open to individual visitors in June, July, August and September (€5, free for under-16s). It has a special opening on 14 and 15 November 2026.

In Gannat itself: the Église Sainte-Croix

In the centre of Gannat, the Église Sainte-Croix is part of the route. In the Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs chapel, you will see a 16th-century wall painting; the decoration of the nave and choir was restored between 2014 and 2019. The church is open every day from 8 am to 6 pm. A guided tour can be booked through the tourist office on 04 70 90 17 78. To place the church in the town's history, read our article on the history of Gannat.

The Musée Yves Machelon, which holds a 9th-century Carolingian gospel book, is closed in winter; it reopens in spring, usually in the afternoons.

Biozat, Escurolles, Mazerier: a few minutes away

• Biozat, Église Saint-Symphorien: paintings in the choir from the 14th and 16th centuries, with Christ in Majesty in a mandorla and a pleading Virgin, restored in 2009-2010. Open every day from 9 am to 6 pm.
• Escurolles, Église Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte: Christ in Majesty surrounded by the four Evangelist symbols, from the late 12th century, partly preserved. Open all year from 9 am to 5 pm.
• Mazerier, Église Saint-Saturnin: an Adoration of the Magi, a Raising of Lazarus and a bird-hunting scene. Open from 10 am to 4 pm during the Christmas holidays; for the rest of the winter, call 04 70 90 16 59.
• Taxat-Senat, former Église Saint-André: a 14th-century cycle (Christ in Majesty, Annunciation, Nativity, Adoration of the Magi), currently being restored.

Ébreuil and the Château de Chareil-Cintrat

In Ébreuil, the Abbatiale Saint-Léger, a former Benedictine abbey church, has Romanesque paintings in its gallery, painted ex-votos from the 16th and 17th centuries and the reliquary of Saint Léger. The church can be visited freely, but access to the gallery and its frescoes is by appointment (04 70 90 77 55).

Off the route, the Château de Chareil-Cintrat has 16th-century painted decoration, with mythological scenes and grotesques. The 2026 opening times have not been published: call 04 70 56 94 28 before you go.

Our visiting tips

• Go in the middle of the day in winter: natural light is better for seeing the paintings, and the churches close early.
• Respect the buildings: these are working churches, so avoid service times.
• Combine with a village: Charroux, one of the most beautiful villages in France, is close by; see our article on Charroux.
• Plan a loop: Gannat, Jenzat and Biozat are easy to see in half a day.

More ideas in our 10 things to do in Gannat. For a quiet stay, our country gîtes and houses and our town-centre properties can be booked from one night, with cleaning and linen included. Any questions? Call us on 06 52 16 01 57.