Cathedrale Notre Dame du Puy, Grasse

Romanesque cathedral built in the 12th century

featured in Sights & Sites

The medieval church of Notre-Dame du Puy was raised to cathedral status in 1244, when the bishop transferred from Antibes to Grasse.

Its Provençal Romanesque style has been well preserved throughout the centuries. In the 17th century, an exterior staircase was built, while a chapel dedicated to the Saint Sacrament was added in 1740, in a beautiful Baroque style.

The cathedral’s strict, basic style, structure, vaults, and discreet décor reflect Lombardian and Ligurian influences. It shelters works by such masters as Rubens, Charles Nègre, a beautiful triptych by Louis Bréa, and the only religious painting by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Le Lavement des Pieds (The Washing of the Feet).