The best road cycling routes around Condé-Sur-Vesgre

Great outing 👍

According to tradition, the church choir covers the remains of an older building, possibly dating back to the 6th century, which was built to house the saint's body. According to current knowledge, the commune of Saint-Piat (Sanctus Piatus in Latin) officially appeared in 1087, mentioned in a charter of the Nottonville Priory (Eure-et-Loir), on which it depended. The current building was rebuilt during the time of Francis I, as suggested by the date 1535 engraved on two buttresses of the apse and the date 1542 engraved on a piece of wood from the vault. This is according to a study by the SAEL (Eure-et-Loir Archaeological Society). The three-sided apses, the dripstone towers (horizontal members projecting from a wall), and the sculpted roof structures are a testament to the importance of the reconstructions carried out in the department during the 16th century. The church of Saint-Piat is one of them. While the church has not been officially recognized, it nevertheless contains objects that have attracted attention both for their antiquity and quality, but not always for good reason. Their artistic value, far from attracting only religious or aesthetic interest, has also aroused a covetousness that, unfortunately, remains for some of them. Fortunately, those still in place are carefully cared for and offer the curious a story to discover, a beauty to slowly ponder as they progress toward the choir.

Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul The construction of the church is said to have been initiated by Don Roger, abbot of the very powerful Benedictine abbey of Coulombs from 1115 to 1174. At that time, the abbey stood near Nogent-le-Roi, a former fortified town located twelve kilometers away on the banks of the Eure. Spread over more than 80 parishes, it had a considerable influence in the region until the Revolution, whether from a religious, economic or social point of view. The Romanesque style that it had adopted since its original construction was reworked in the 16th century by the opening of tall Gothic windows around the choir. Finally, in the following century, during the Wars of Religion, the church suffered serious damage. When peace returned, the entrance porch was finally rebuilt in the elegant Renaissance style. In 1950, a fire destroyed the church and all its furniture; it was restored at the end of the 20th century.

The cathedral is the seat of the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Chartres

Saint Anne belonged to this chosen people who, in God's plans, were to give birth to the Savior of men; she was of the tribe of Judah and of the race of David. His parents, commendable by their origin, became especially famous among all their fellow citizens for the brilliance of a life full of good works and virtues. The choir of the church forms a setback from the nave. The western part, very small, dates from the 11th century while the eastern part, destroyed during the Hundred Years' War, was rebuilt in the 16th century. The sacristy was built some time later, on the north side.

Oriented east, the building follows a rectangular plan, extended by a choir. With a length of 35 meters, the building is constructed of masonry and consolidated by sandstone buttresses. The pointed vault is 13 meters high, the adjoining bell tower is around twenty meters high. The construction of the church would have been the initiative of Don Roger, abbot of the very powerful Benedictine abbey of Coulombs from 1115 to 1174. At this period, the abbey stood near Nogent-le-Roi, former fortified town located twelve kilometers on the banks of the Eure. Extended over more than 80 parishes, it had a considerable influence in the region, until the Revolution, whether from a religious, economic or social point of view. The Romanesque style that it had adopted since its original construction was remodeled in the 16th century. by the opening of high Gothic windows, around the edge of the choir. Finally, in the following century, during the wars of religion, the church suffered serious damage. When peace returned, the entrance porch was finally rebuilt in the elegant manner of the Renaissance style. In 1950, a fire destroyed the church and all its furniture; it was restored at the end of the 20th century.

A dream of a cathedral 🥰 you should definitely visit it at two different times of the day, as the glass windows look completely different depending on the position of the sun - phenomenal

A few points make Chartres Cathedral so unique: - the total of 176 original windows, which were created between 1215 and 1240 and flood the church interior with lots of light - Particularly noteworthy are the 3 rosettes on the north, south and west sides, where you can study the further development of architecture over the decades - the cathedral was never significantly destroyed and thus gives a very good impression of the High Gothic period - with her relic she represented the center of Marian veneration in Europe. The resulting flow of pilgrims was a main source of income for Chartres