Romainmotier Priory

Romainmotier takes its name from Romanus, who founded a monastery here in the fifth century, and the church that stands now was built by Cluniac monks around 990 to 1030, making it among the earliest surviving Romanesque buildings in the country and an early example of Cluny's influence north of the Alps. Excavations have found the outlines of the earlier churches beneath it. The interior is austere - plain stone, round arches, a raised choir - with fragments of medieval wall painting and a fifteenth-century porch added later. The village around it is tiny, largely traffic-free and consists mostly of buildings that belonged to the priory, so the whole place reads as one ensemble rather than a monument in a town.

What you actually see

• A church of about 990-1030 - among the oldest Romanesque in Switzerland.
• Cluniac plan and austerity - round arches and plain stone throughout.
• Earlier churches beneath - the excavated outlines of the fifth-century foundation.
• A village that was the priory - the ensemble intact and nearly traffic-free.

When to go

All year. Two hours.

Honest expectations

The village is very small with a handful of places to eat, and quiet out of season. The church can be closed for concerts or services. Interpretation is in French. Public transport is a bus from a small station.

Nearby

Orbe and its Roman mosaics are east; Vallorbe and the Jura are north-west.