They try to unravel the mysteries and secrets of this remarkable church in Seine-et-Marne

Consider that from the top of the bell towerSaint-Médard church from Vaudoy-en-Brie (Seine-et-Marne), almost eight centuries of history gaze upon you. An exceptional, yet fragile heritage, which a few local residents united in an association seek to highlight and safeguard. “In December 1999during the famous storm, part of the roof flew away. After mobilization from the town hall, several local residents decided to come together to work to save the site. This is how the association of Friends of the Saint-Médard church in Vaudoy-en-Brie », presents Brigit Bontour.

A church “not finished”

The name of the latter is well known to the Briards. Author of numerous works, she recently released an anthology devoted to the great French cathedrals at the end of 2024. And since January 11, she is the new president of the association of Friends of the Saint-Médard church. “I was born in this village. My family roots are closely linked to Vaudoy. This is why I decided to get involved in this association,” she adds.

Accompanied in particular by Vincent Boddaert, the treasurer of the associationshe returns to the origin of the building. “According to the information we have collected, the construction of the church dates back to the first part of the 13th century.^e century. Its construction would be part of a vast campaign to build churches which had to be inexpensive, stable and which had to imitate cathedrals, based on the model of the chapels of Reims built between 1210 and 1220,” he explains. -she, referring to the studies of Gaetan Delbarrealso a member of the association.

The work would have lasted several decades. The site was even abandoned for some time and the original designs were definitively abandoned. “Everything suggests that this is a church which is 'not finished',” says Vincent Boddaert. Moreover, its inauguration only took place in the 16th^e century “.

Although it probably does not correspond to the original plans, the current church still offers a very beautiful spectacle to the curious who wish to push open its imposing door. The nave leaves room for a imposing choirdotted with numerous stained glass windows on different levels. “It may seem curious to discover such a beautiful building in such a small village (880 inhabitants, editor’s note). But we must not forget that Vaudoy was at the crossroads of the fairs of Champagne and Flanders,” adds Brigit Bontour.

Create events

It is precisely to raise awareness and protect the building that the Friends of Saint-Médard Church have been working for more than twenty years. “We undertook the cleaning of paintings and stained glasslist Vincent Boddaert. But we have other projects, more event-oriented we would say.” An opening with a candlelight display for Heritage Days, the organization of a concert or still the creation of the church in 3Das it could have been if the project had been completed, remain in particular on the program. But Brigit Bontour's wishful thinking lies in producing a work on the history of the church. “There are so many secrets to elucidate, such as knowing who is under the tombstone to the left of the choir, the reason for the presence of a scallop shell on a wall… We will have to consult different archives to put this together” . Enough to allow the 30 volunteers of the association to keep this century-old church alive even longer.

Information To contact the association, you can write an email to [email protected]

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