The Église Saint-Pierre is a 19th-century church with a majestic rose window at its center and a pair of twin spires rising from its roof. It has a Romanesque design, with three large portals carved into the southern façade. Get a closer look at the front to inspect the impressive artworks engraved on it.
Gaze up at the two steeples and notice the clock on the southern bell tower. You can see these stone spires towering over the town center from a distance. Notice how the steeples become silhouettes as the sun begins to descend at dusk.
Enter the church through the central arched portal to admire the Gothic nave. As you walk along the sides of the nave, study the paintings lining the walls. Among the oil canvases are Saint Joseph Carrying the Child Jesus and a Fleur de Lys and the Lamentation of the Dead Christ.
See the Communion tables, pulpit and high altar. The organ in the tribune dates back to 1865 and was rebuilt in the late 1900s. Study the other organ in the choir that was fitted here in 1866. Enter the chapel for the 1941 painting by Mai-Thu that commemorates the victims of World War I.
Enjoy a hot drink at a café tables spilling onto the charming plaza outside the church. Head down some of the narrow lanes branching off from the pedestrian square to explore the shops.
The church was constructed in the 19th century by architect André Berthier. It is said that Emperor Napoleon III was enlisted to help finance its completion amid economic difficulties.
Find the Église Saint-Pierre just a few blocks inland from the Saône River in the heart of Mâcon. You can drive here and drop off your vehicle in Parking Mâcon. Visit some of the surrounding sights, such as the Mairie de Macon, the Place Émile Violet and the Place des Cordeliers.
