Notre-Dame

St. Denis’ Gateway, 12th century, the crypt of Toussaint Collégiale, the chapel and cloister of the Hospital, and many other sites, are all attractive for the visitors, who can also try the Black Sausage, a local speciality.

The church of Notre Dame is also among the jewels of Mortagne. Destroyed during the Hundred Years War, the church was rebuilt 1494-1535 on the site of the original overlords chapel, due to the generosity of Blessed Marguerite of Lorraine, ancestor of king Henri IV. She is represented on one of the remarkable stained glass windows in the church, dedicated to the “Three Countesses”, benefactresses of the town – Mahaut of Bavière ( 13th century), Marie of Armagnac (15th century) and Marguerite of Lorraine (15th-16th century). The whole building is in the gothic flamboyant style, the delicacy of the truncated front gable over the “Counts’ Door” can be admired. Within the church, a nave 52 meters long, with side aisles and a five sided sanctuary can be admired. The vault of the nave is extraordinarily decorated with ribbed ogival arches, liernes, tiercerons, carved with festoons from which hang very sculptured pendentives. Sixty seven angelic musicians can be seen along the arcs. The church is also rich with numerous works of art and furnishings, such as the wooden panels around the sanctuary which come from the ancient Chartreuse of Val-Dieu. The oak wood was taken from the forest of Réno nearby. The whole building was classified as a Historical Monument in 1910, except the belfry, destroyed by fire in 1890 and whose reconstruction is not yet finished.