The Assumption of Casteljaloux is a major monument of the Lot-et-Garonne. It is 60 metres long and was built between the late 17th and 18th centuries. Its facade, remarkable by its balance, is decorated with the statues of Saint Michel and Saint Raphael, testifying to its spiritual and artistic importance.
This collegiate is one of the 142 collegiate women in France who had a canon chapter. These priests gathered in the choir to sing the divine office and perform solemn liturgical functions. Colleges were governed by a college of canons and often played an educational or charitable role. In Casteljaloux, the chapter disappeared in 1791 but the term collegiate remained by tradition, and it was incorporated into the parish of Notre-Dame de l'Avance.
The Collège Notre-Dame-de-l'Assumption in Casteljaloux remains a symbol of resistance, memory and heritage for the region.
Today, its current state requires urgent intervention. The cover has become the most fragile point of the building, and water infiltration threatens the preservation of the structure and furniture. The complete renovation of the cover is essential on 1,100 m2 (nave, choir and side roofs) to protect this collegiate and preserve a heritage that, beyond its architectural value, embodies the religious and cultural history of the country of Albret.
