Fortified church of Villeneuve-de-Mézin

Southwest of Agen, Villeneuve-de-Mézin is a small village located in the commune of Lannes, about 20 km south of Nérac. In the heart of the gentle rolling countryside of the Albret and Gascony regions, this hamlet is worth a visit for its Saint-Jean-Baptiste church, a fortified church dating from the late 12th century.
Nestled within the defensive complex of Villeneuve-de-Mézin, the church was built on the site of an 11th-century tower. With its battlements and the remains of a high defense hall, it has a distinctly military architecture. Inside, the nave is fairly short, and the choir has a flat, almost square chevet with a broken barrel vault. It is topped by the floors of the original tower and finished with a bell wall. You can see recently restored frescoes from the 16th and 17th centuries.