The origins
Saint Christophe en Brionnais, is the only
« street village » of the Brionnais area!
This configuration is historic, as it is linked to the fairs and markets that have been held here since at least 1488. But the origins of St Christophe go back much further, to the beginning of our era.
The church
In 1090, Jocerand-des-Certines, the local lord, donated the church of St Christophe to the Benedictine abbey of Marcigny.
The current church replaced the former Romanesque church in 1828. It was built in the ‘Greek’ style that was very fashionable in the 19th century.
Successive castles
In the 12th century, the fortified castle was built on a hill on the north of the village.
It was destroyed around 1825 and rebuilt in 1830 by the De Busseul family.
The château was destroyed again in the 1930s.
The ancient spa
The second half of the 19th century also saw the opening of a spa.
The Imperial Academy of Medicine mentions the ‘frankly ferruginous nature’ of St Christophe water.
The benefits are numerous: eight different ailments could be treated in a variety of ways (drinks, freshwater baths, steam baths, showers, application of mineral mud, etc.).
Livestock market
The spa no longer exists, but the Saint-Christophe market continues to bring life to the village of 525 inhabitants (2018).
