Church of Our Lady in Mortagne-au-Perche - Discover this open and welcoming religious building

Church | 1535 | | Catholic Church

Parking space Organ

Map

Opening hours

01 January - 31 December
Mon 9.00 - 18.00
Tue 9.00 - 18.00
Wed 9.00 - 18.00
Thu 9.00 - 18.00
Fri 9.00 - 18.00
Sat 9.00 - 18.00
Sun 9.00 - 18.00

Description

Notre-Dame Church is one of the jewels of Mortagne-au-Perche, a charming Petite Cité de Caractère (Small Town of Character). Destroyed during the Hundred Years' War, the church was rebuilt between 1494 and 1535 on the site of the former seigneurial chapel, thanks to the generosity of the blessed Marguerite de Lorraine, Duchess of Alençon and Countess of Perche, grandmother of King Henry IV. She is depicted on one of the church's remarkable stained-glass windows, dedicated to the town's three benefactors: Mahaut of Bavaria (13th century), Marie d'Armagnac (15th century) and Marguerite de Lorraine (15th/16th century).

The entire building is in the flamboyant Gothic style, the finesse of which can be admired on the truncated gable above the door known as the ‘counts' door’. Inside, the church has a vast 52-metre-long nave, side aisles and a five-sided choir. The nave's vault is extraordinarily decorated with ribbed vaults, liernes and tiercerons cut into festoons with highly elaborate pendentives. There are 67 small angel musicians at the base of the arches. It also boasts numerous works of art and important furnishings such as the choir's woodwork, carved from oak from the nearby Réno forest and originating from the former Val-Dieu Carthusian monastery.

The church has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1910, with the exception of the bell tower, which was destroyed by fire in 1890 and whose reconstruction is still incomplete.

Photos

Remarkable elements

Carved wood panelling

After the Revolution, the choir was embellished with magnificent wood panelling from Val Dieu Abbey (now completely destroyed). This panelling, carved by the monks, is made of oak from the Réno Forest.

Stained-glass window – the Dance of Salome

Featuring figures in Renaissance costume, the Dance of Salome is depicted in the centre of the lower panel, alongside the beheading of John the Baptist on the left. The martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist, who miraculously survived being immersed in boiling oil, is depicted on the right.

The North Portal

The north portal, also known as the ‘Counts’ Gate’, has retained its two oak leaves carved in bas-relief, decorated with figures in profile within the medallions. The gable surrounding them, unfortunately truncated in the 18th century, is remarkable for the finesse and richness of its stone carvings.

The vault of the nave

It is striking for its extraordinarily intricate decoration, consisting of rib vaults with liernes, festoon-shaped tiercerons and pendent keystones. At the bases of the arches, there are 67 small angels, each holding a musical instrument.

The main nave

It is separated from the two aisles and side chapels by a series of capitel-less pillars from which all the arches of the vault spring, creating a simple and slender ensemble.

Stained-glass window – the three Countesses of Le Perche

from left to right

• Marie d’Armagnac, wife of Jean II d’Alençon, the ‘gentle duke’ of Joan of Arc

• Blessed Marguerite of Lorraine, widow of René of Alençon, who pursued a policy of restoring her estates whilst practising the charity demanded by her faith, such as the construction of this church and the Saint-François convent at the Mortagne hospital

• Mahaut of Bavaria, founder of the Collegiate Church of All Saints (Saint-André crypt)

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