By Julien Van Caeyseele
Published on
May 7, 24 at 7:00 p.m.
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It is the bell tower of this church which was immortalized by Jean-François Millet, in his famous painting The Angelus… The Heritage Foundation has just revealed the list of the first 100 beneficiaries of the national collection for the religious heritage of villages in France. Only one site is concerned in Seine-et-Marne: the Saint-Paul church in Chailly-en-Bière (Seine et Marne).
The church of the painters… of Babrizon
The building, whose bell tower rises to almost 90 m, dominates the Bière plain. A dedication from the Archbishop of Sens attests to a reconstruction at the beginning of the 9th century.e century. A major restoration project was launched in 2019 and a first phase made it possible to renovate the roof, part of the nave and the framework… by the carpenters who are restoring Notre-Dame de Paris.
“The presence of the church in this list is a way of rewarding the consistency of successive municipal teams and the commitment of the population for its renovation and subscriptions,” explains Bertrand Dehelly, deputy departmental delegate at the Heritage Foundation.
As proof, the local baker even makes raspberry tiles, part of the profits of which are donated to the collection. The historical dimension has not been forgotten either: “It is the church of the painters of Barbizon which, at the time, was only a hamlet of Chailly-en-Bière,” he continues.
Fires and restorations
The first mentions of the church suggest a medieval reconstruction, under Charlemagne. In the 12th century, the church depended on the abbey of the Holy Fathers of Melun. According to the Heritage Foundation, the Gothic choir and the current sacristy date from the 14th century and lords were buried there until the 16th century. In the 18th century, a fire destroyed the bell tower, which was rebuilt in 1765 thanks to a donation from Louis XV before a new fire two years later. During the Revolution, damage was noted and the tombs destroyed. In the 19th century, the bells were replaced by a drone – a massive bell – handed down to posterity by the painting The Angelus by Jean-François Millet, where he was also married. The church will then be restored at the end of the 19th century and then maintained throughout the 20th century, before the launch of major work in 2019.
If the work on the second phase has just been launched, the church will be able to benefit from a significant financial windfall since the Heritage Foundation is targeting €15 million in fundraising to support these first 100 religious buildings. “Donations open the right to enhanced tax deductions for individuals,” insists Bertrand Dehelly.
“Boost” for the renovation
For Alain Thiery, the mayor of Chailly-en-Bière, this selection is a godsend in order to restore this flagship of heritage: “We are very dynamic in this area and even if we do not know the amount that will be allocated to us, it will give a hell of a lot boost. »
THE father José Antonini, priest responsible for the Catholic missionary center of Fontainebleau, admits “his surprise and his emotion” to discover the Saint-Paul church in the list. “I think that the vitality of the parish has nothing to do with it,” he believes. Everyone got involved and this is a way to encourage them. But the historical character of this church is also an explanation (read box).“
The work in progress, worth €350,000, should make it possible to renovate the exterior part of the transept, the choir and the apse of the church. Other phases could then be considered for the restoration of the bell tower and then the interior of the building. The total cost of the renovation is estimated at €1.4 million.
Information: www.fondation-patrimoine.org.
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