Visiting the small Notre-Dame de la Nativité church in Cachen is worth it. Nestled in the heart of the small hamlet of Guinas, 3 kilometers southeast of the village, the 13th century buildinge century is almost hidden in nature, among pines and airials, within the setting of the Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park.
Matthew Sartre
The slate dome and its pinnacle are under particular surveillance and will need to be repaired very soon.
Its original silhouette is characterized by a slate dome which has been on the roof since the 18th century.e century the apse. “There is also the church of Lencouacq which is in this case,” specifies Marie-Rose Langlade, the mayor of Cachen since 2014.
Helped by the association Les Amis du patrimoine de Guinas-Cachen, it monitors the good health of the monument. And that’s no small feat. Because this small town of 238 souls must pay 166,000 euros (excluding taxes) to renovate and preserve this unique heritage which, although it is not yet listed as a Historic Monument, does not lack charm and interest.
National visibility
Because there is a catch in this story. This lies in the infiltrations which blacken certain parts of the ceiling of the nave. The fault is the dome and its not always waterproof joints. “We managed to carry out initial work in 2021 thanks to the participatory budget from the Departmental Council. Carpentry, plastering, painting…” remembers Alain Barbé. Already 43,000 euros of work has been carried out, so there remains 123,000 euros of work to be carried out.
“We have received grants or donations from the Department, the municipality, the Heritage Foundation, the community of municipalities, individuals, in particular certain elected officials and members of the association, but there is still a lack of them, particularly for attack a first tranche that I would describe as a priority, and the amount of which is 63,000 euros,” specifies the mayor.
Matthew Sartre
The foundation of the Notre-Dame de la Nativity church dates back to the 13th century.
If there is no shortage of goodwill to save this building, the help that the Heritage Foundation has just given could be decisive. She has just noted the list of the first beneficiaries of the national collection in favor of religious heritage in France. One building per department.
And in the Landes, it is the church of Cachen which is thus in the spotlight. “There had already been two campaigns calling for donations. But there, after fighting, they are selected for this national collection. This gives them visibility across France,” recalls Jean Mortier, the departmental delegate of the Heritage Foundation.
15 million euros for 100 buildings
Nationally, 100 religious buildings have been identified to participate in this collection. 61% are not protected as Historic Monuments, which undoubtedly explains why the choice fell on them. 15 million euros will be needed to save these buildings, specifies the Heritage Foundation. Already 2.3 million euros have been collected. The call for donations is therefore continuing on the Fondation-patrimoine.org website (1). Part of this sum will undoubtedly save the Notre-Dame de la Nativity church in Cachen.
“This is an unprecedented campaign because it benefits from an increased tax deduction rate of 75% for individuals up to 1,000 euros,” recalls Alain Barbé, whose association, in partnership with the town hall, does not spare its efforts to finance the work. “We organize three events per year around this church on the occasion of the Music Festival (June 21), also at the beginning of October, where we are planning an exhibition, and finally for Saint-André, on November 30, around of a meal which brings together an average of 120 people. » A beautiful union around this project.
(1) To participate in this national collection, in addition to the website, it is possible to send 10 euros by SMS by sending SAUVER to 92 892 or to send a check (payable to Heritage Foundation – Religious Heritage) at 153 bis, avenue Charles-de-Gaulle – 92 220 Neuilly-sur-Seine.
A little history
Built in the 13the century, the primitive church was partially destroyed during the wars of religion. The structure has been rebuilt three times over the centuries. The original bell tower-wall has been preserved and a dome lined with slate – topped with a pinnacle – was built in the 18th century.e century. It was restored in 1959 with the assistance of the Société de Borda and the financial support of the General Council of Landes.
The double-leaf main entrance door was carved from oak and is decorated with polychrome decoration, predominantly blue. Two figures dressed in red appear in the upper part: the Virgin and Saint Andrew, the patron saint of this building. Other pieces of furniture are remarkable and some are listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments: the altar, the painting, which dates from the 19the century and which represents a Virgin and Child, the font and a piece of furniture which has a Louis XIII decoration and whose central door is equipped with three locks which operated with three different keys. More information on cachen.fr
