The monastic town of Paray-le-Monial grew up in the shadow of a Cluniac priory. Its Romanesque basilica, now dedicated to the order of the Sacred Heart, gives us a very complete picture, albeit in reduced form, of what Cluny must once have looked like. There are three naves as opposed to five at Cluny, with a single instead of a double transept. But the mark of the great abbey is everywhere apparent - from the first of the naves and the subtly harmonious cascade of roofs of the chevet to the vaults set in the same orderly manner. Inside, one is struck by the same impression of height and the effect of light entering by the high windows (especially in the choir) for which Cluny was renowned in the Middle Ages. To the solemnity of the basilica is added the peace of the adjacent cloister which was reconstructed in the 18C century in perfect harmony with the existing church. Its south wing contains the Faience Museum where earthenware from Charolles is exhibited alongside old items from Moustiers and Nevers. In the gallery opposite, on the north side, we can find the great door which is richly ornamented with Romanesque sculptures of uneven workmanship. This is the entrance by which the monks entered the church. But it is perhaps the north door, on the town side, which is the loveliest example of Romanesque ornamentation, even in the absence of a figurative tympanum. In the Parc des Chapelains, stretching to the east of the basilica, there are various reception and information areas principally for the benefit of pilgrims. These include a diorama and the Espace Sainte Marguerite-Marie/Saint Claude La Colombiere, which recount the life and visions of St Margaret Mary Alacoque and the message of Paray. Not far from here is the Chapel of the Visitation where the remains of the saint are laid to rest. The town of Paray, following the example of Cluny, developed in the shadow of its monastery. Several streets, lined by old houses often built with the lovely golden Brionnais limestone quarried nearby, lead to the lively quarter surrounding the Town Hall and the Tour Saint-Nicolas. It is here that the former 16C century parish church is located. Its functions were transferred to the basilica in 1792 and its lateral chapels and its choir were then taken out. The nave and the belfry, which are still intact, house temporary exhibitions and other cultural programmes. The Town Hall is housed in the Maison Joyet, a mansion formerly belonging to a rich draper. This Renaissance building, completed between 1525 and 1528, dominates the square from its high ochre facade, made up of pilasters and cornices and decorated with finely sculpted medallions. Although Paray lost the most prosperous part of its population in the Protestant exodus after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, it enjoyed a new lease of life in the 19C thanks to the advent of the railway and the industrial exploitation of clay in its surrounding areas. Tiles were much in demand in the building trade, which explains the presence of the Paul Charnoy Museum near the station and next to the still-active factory where these tiles were once produced. Visitors are impressed by the sumptuous ceramic mosaics exposed here and delighted by the anecdotes related by some of the former factory employees who now conduct the guided tours. Lovers of Romanesque art will not wish to leave the region of Paray-le-Monial without visiting some of the beautiful buildings to be admired on the circuit of Romanesque Churches of the Brionnais.