ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Enclos paroissial

Have you ever gone to visit a really big church with lots of beautiful decorations and sculptures inside? An enclos paroissial is kind of like that, but even more special!

In some parts of France, there are small villages or towns that have special churches that are surrounded by a wall. Inside the wall, there are lots of different buildings and structures that are part of the church. It's like a little village inside the big wall!

There might be a big main church building that is very fancy and decorated with all sorts of beautiful things. But there are also other buildings, like a smaller chapel, a place where the priests live, and a place where they keep all of the special things that are used during church services.

What's really cool about an enclos paroissial is that all of these buildings are decorated with even more beautiful and intricate carvings and sculptures. The walls and ceilings might be covered in colorful paintings or frescoes. It's like a work of art that you can walk through and explore!

People used to build enclos paroissials as a way to show off their wealth and power. They wanted to make their church look really impressive so that everyone would know how important and powerful they were. Nowadays, enclos paroissials are still appreciated for their art and architecture, and they are a popular tourist attraction for people who want to see something really unique and beautiful.