Palace of the Bishops

Closeup on the Palace of the Bishops

The Palace of the Bishops looks out over the town of Saint Lizier. It was formerly the residence of the bishop of the diocese of Couserans. These days, however, it belongs to Ariège council. Having been converted into a museum, a tour divided into two parts (as two buildings are involved) is an opportunity to travel 2,000 years back in time.

The first takes place in the palace itself, where a so-called "museographical" area has been set up. This allows visitors to immerse themselves in the estate's history in a chronological manner. This begins with Antiquity, as the Romans were already here at this time, as revealed by the remains that are exposed. Among other things, you'll see a highly impressive coin collection. Known as the "Treasure of Saint-Girons”, it is made up of around 13,000 coins! The tour continues on from era to era, up until the 19th century. 2022 is a key year for the museum. For the first time, the Palace of the Bishops is introducing information about the time during which it was used as a psychiatric hospital.

The second part of the tour takes place in the cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède. Known as the "Sistine Chapel of the Ariège", it is overflowing with Renaissance artworks. Everything here is beautiful, from floor to ceiling, and including the woodwork. Don't miss this masterpiece during your holiday staying in our Ariège campsite.

Route de Montjoie, 09190 Saint-Lizier

_https://www.sites-touristiques-ariege.fr/palais-des-eveques/ _