Saint Martin's day in Salles-Arbuissonas

The history of Salles (word of Gallic origin meaning “place where one stops”) finds the first traces of occupation as of the paleolithic one (37000 to 5000 years before J.C.). Excavations made it possible to find objects of this time, Gallic time then Gallo-Roman. (arrowheads, scrapers, gravers, shards decorated with the comb and potteries not turned, of IVème century before J.C., plate, tripod, vase, amphora, dolium of IVème century.

The church 

Saint Martin de Salles is one of the oldest churches of the Beaujolais wine. Because of fire in 1705 which consumma the files of the priory of Rooms, it is difficult to specify the exact date of its foundation.

However, of procés verbal religious inspectors gone back to 1260 allow to suppose a existance more moved back much. These documents mention several buildings which menacaient then of ruin. The church had been built on the side of a slope what caused to obtain an important slope from the principal door to the chorus. At the end of the XIXème century, some steps at the entry were added to reduce the slope which remains however visible.

The clunisienne influence results in a bedside with three apses grafted on an overflowing transept.

The frontage

It presents a door in semicircular arch of Romance style clunisien, framed by sober pilasters and posts. the small projecting blind arcades and the capitals of the two pillars reveal a Byzantine and Venetian influence.

The bell-tower

It comprises three stages: first is naked, on each face of the second opens a window in semicircular arch under a triangular pediment, with the third four bays are separated by posts.

The gate

It is made out of gilded stones and dates from XIIème century. It is bored in a pinion framed of pilasters and columns surmounted by capitals with foliage. It was abimé during the revolution.