church of Saint-André (early 12th c.-1236), built originally as the dauphin’s palace
chapel, is joined to the Hotel de Ville and situated near the ruins of the church of Saint-
Jean. The latter’s front-entrance carving now decorates the side door of Saint-André.
Saint-Laurent (ca. 965) is perhaps the most interesting religious site, due to its antiquity.
It was founded as a necropolis upon which the funerary church, the crypt of Saint-Oyand
(late 8th-early 9th c.), was built. The capitals of Saint-Laurent date from the 8th century,
with work continuing into the 11th. The Benedictines were asked to rebuild the church in
- Unfortunately, much of the woodwork and stucco that remained was destroyed in
the restorative efforts of the mid-19th century. Two other necropoli are of importance to
the Middle Ages. Saint-Antoine is a Merovingian necropolis and the Roman Saint-
Ferréol was used continuously up through the Merovingian period.
Opposite the church of Saint-André is the Gothic Ancien Palais des Dauphins. On
May 12, 1339, the University of Grenoble was founded by a papal bull. In its collection,
the Grenoble museum posesses a Frankish helmet, and the mimicipal library houses 12th-
century illuminated manuscripts from La Grande Chartreuse.
Stephen C.Martin
[See also: CARTHUSIAN ORDER; DAUPHINÉ/VIENNOIS]
Colardell, Renée. Grenoble aux premiers temps chrétiens: Saint-Laurent et ses nécropoles. Paris:
Imprimerie Nationale, 1986.
Ferrand, Henri. Grenoble and Thereabouts: Chartreuse, Oisans, Vercors, Belledone, Uriage-les-
Bains, Allevard, Trièvres, Salette, Laffrey. Boston: Medici Society, 1923.
Prudhomme, Auguste. Histoire de Grenoble. 1888; Marseille: Lafitte, 1975.
GRINGORE, PIERRE
(d. 1538/9). Throughout his life, the Norman poet Gringore (or Gringoire) commented on
contemporary problems, amusing and lecturing his public. The twenty-five works
attributed to him are predominantly moral writings and plays. Gringore created an
enigmatic persona: he was known during his life as Mère Sotte, the character he played in
the troupe of fools called the Enfants-sans-souci, but his motto, which appears on a
number of his works, was Raison Par Tout, Tout Par Raison, Par Tout Raison. Both
Victor Hugo (in Notre Dame de Paris) and Théodore de Banville put Gringore into their
works.
Gringore is best known today for his sottie, part of the Jeu du Prince des Sots et Mère
Sotte (Mardi Gras, 1512). In fast-paced, witty dialogue, Gringore shows how Mère Sotte,
disguised as Pope Julius II, attempts to harm the cause of Louis XII by bribing or
pressuring Louis’s prelates and nobles into supporting the corrupt, bellicose papacy. The
jeu also includes a cry calling all types of fools (the audience) to the play, a morality in
which Julius II reappears as the Homme obstiné, and a farce to send the audience away
laughing. Gringore accomplishes this by showing how women, especially in matters
sexual, prefer Faire to Dire.
Gringore was also the author of a history play, the Vie monseigneur saint Louis (ca.
1527). In nine livres (6,572 lines), the moral portrait of the most perfect Christian king
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