The staircase

As you enter the cloister, your eye is quickly drawn to the architecturally remarkable staircase at the corner of two galleries.

An architectural masterpiece

A testament to Renaissance architecture

The construction of the cloître de la Psalette, at the corner of the east and north galleries, is attributed to the architect Bastien François. It is said to be a replica of the staircase built by Francis I in the Château de Blois around 1520.

The staircase is accessed through a doorway featuring exquisitely sculpted decoration and a double entablature. and pilasters decorated with candelabras .

Open to the outside through large windows, it features a magnificent screw whose hollow core forms the handrail. It is covered by a magnificent coffered ceiling decorated with rosettes.

The staircase's screw and coffered ceiling
Patrick Müller - Centre des monuments nationaux

An unusual view of the cathedral

The staircase leads to a terrace offering a unique view of the cathedral. Four centuries of architecture await you: from the cathedral's 13^thcentury chevet, to the towers built around 1547, to the recently restored 14^th centurytransept rose.

The terrace overlooks the small La Psalette street, and also offers an unobstructed view of the Lycée Paul-Louis Courrier, from which you can watch the comings and goings of Tourange's high school students. And don't forget to take a look at the gargoyles that watch over the garden!

The Psalette cloister staircase was restored in 1998.