Aubais Saint-Nazaire

Chapel of Saint-Nazaire-de-Marissargues

Located about 1 km south-east of the village of Aubais , on a rocky table in a garrigue environment, this chapel dominates the surroundings and offers a view extending to the Mediterranean coast.
It should not be confused with the village parish church.

Excavation campaigns (2001–2004) led by the archaeologist Mathieu Ott uncovered the remains of a Carolingian church dating from the 8th century , surrounded by a vast rock cemetery with around 1,500 anthropomorphic tombs , some of which date back to the 7th and 8th centuries.
This site is exceptional for understanding the funeral practices of the Early Middle Ages.
The cemetery's use spanned over 250 years, suggesting that the church may have had parish status, although written sources are silent on this.

A Benedictine priory , dependent on the abbey of Psalmodi (Saint-Laurent-d'Aigouze), was established there at the beginning of the 11th century, then abandoned in the 13th / beginning of the 15th century.

The current chapel, in the Languedoc Romanesque style, has undergone several alterations over the centuries:
- Western facade : rubble, dressed stone corner quoins, classical portal dated 1782 , entablature surmounted by various windows and a bell tower crowned with a cross.
- Southern facade : partly hidden by a dwelling or hermitage added at the end of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century.
- Flat bedside table : preserved since the Carolingian period, it retains the characteristic alternation of high and narrow seats, with a large arched bay window.

The site (chapel + archaeological remains, cadastral plots B 1682 and B 1683) has been listed as a historic monument since September 15, 2016.
At the end of the 20th century, clearing operations carried out by volunteers revealed this treasure buried under a tumulus; since then, restorations (interior, collapsed dwelling, choir vault) have been undertaken, supported by the local association, the town hall and the DRAC.

The chapel still hosts religious celebrations (masses), and free guided tours are given regularly - particularly on Sunday afternoons by volunteers.
The site also constitutes a living heritage site, with local events such as Heritage Days.