Saint-Bonnet-de-Cray

Saint -Bonnet -de- Cray is a commune in the French department of Saône- et- Loire of the Burgundy region. In the municipality of 458 inhabitants ( 1 January 2011).

Location

Saint -Bonnet -de- Cray lies at an altitude of about 410 meters above sea level. inst in the ancient cultural landscape of the brionnais in the south of Burgundy. The place is located about 35 km ( driving distance ) south of Paray -le- Monial and about 27 kilometers north of Roanne. The places worth seeing Anzy -le- Duc, Marcigny, Semur -en- brionnais, Saint -Julien -de- Jonzy, Charlieu and Iguerande are all located within a radius of 10-20 kilometers.

Demographics

In the 19th century the city has long had about 800 inhabitants.

Economy

The hilly surroundings of Saint -Bonnet -de- Cray has always been dominated by agriculture to a large extent, with the run up to the 19th century, viticulture after the phylloxera crisis was abandoned entirely. Today, cattle ( Charolais cattle ) plays a greater role. The place itself functioned until the early 20th century as a craft, trade and service center for several hamlets and isolated farmsteads in the area.

Attractions

• The Romanesque parish church ( Église Saint -Bonnet ) was probably always three aisles, but - after destruction during the Wars of Religion ( 1562-1598 ) - the present structure dates mainly from the 17th century. Apse and transept have Vorchorjoch the destruction survived virtually harmless. Designed extremely rich is the interior of the apse with preset columns and pilasters submitted kanelierten in the window frames in the best of Cluniac tradition. The vegetable- abstract capitals in the choir are among the finest and most advanced of its kind in Burgundy. In the transept conduct small squinches in an octagonal cross-section over which terminates in an unstructured and plastered dome. The painting in the Apsiskalotte dates from the 17th century and shows the Emmausmahl. The eastern parts of the church are recognized as a monument historique since 1922.
• Three mansions ( manors ) are in the vicinity of the place: Château de Malfarat, Château du Château de pallier and Vermont; they are privately owned and are partly used as a hotel.