SITUATION AND HISTORICAL DESCRIPTION

(Church of Ménestérol - red chalk )

Montpon-Ménestérol is situated in the Dordogne on the boundary with the Gironde, on the  N°89 Road (Exit n°12 on the Motorway A89). The town is divided into two parts by the river L'Isle, Montpon on the South bank and Ménestérol on the North.These two communes including the villages of Montignac and Vauclaire were joigned together in the early  20th century. (in 1964)

Therefore the town includes two churches, one in Montpon (Our Lady of the Assumption) the other one in Ménestérol (St. Peter's ) plus two chapels, one in the ancient Carthusian Monastery of Vauclaire and the other smaller one in Montignac.

The church of Montpon buit in the 19th century was equipped with a rather small organ as early as early as 1840 (1 keyboard and 7 stops).

In the 1960's, on the initiative of Francis Chapelet - an international organist and a native of Montpon - the organ was reshaped and above all extended so that it could fulfill its role as much for the liturgy as for anticipated concerts.

Again thanks to Francis Chapelet's perseverance and energy, the church of Ménestérol which was very little used for services, became the center of the "Spiritual Concerts Association" born concurrently with the extension of the organ of Montpon. The church was equipped with an organ in 1980, an instrument partly savaged from St. Matthews's Temple in Colmar.

Moreover Francis Chapelet on his family estate was having an auditorium built where he had three instruments set up, the styles of which were very different from the other organ's in the churches. In his house he  keept the studying organ which he had t built while he was studying at the Paris CNSM.

In december 2009, a second Italian organ enriched his collection at his own house. (for further information see the page "the italian organs") and in march 2010, the small Montignac Chapel  got a new organ made by the organ-builder Didier Chanon (see the page "Montignac Chapel" )

Francis is expecting to see a romantic organ one day, in the loft of Vauclaire Old Monatery Chapel, to complete the collection !

Thus the town of Montpon-Ménestérol was referred to as "La Capitale de l'Orgue en Aquitaine" for no other towncould avail itself of such a selection of organs. (8 organs)

SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHURCHES AND CHAPELS