So sticking around this quant and nice town in my beloved Yvelines department 78 of the Ïle de France region of my belle France. I will tell you a bit more on the nice things to see in Montfort L’Amaury. This time will need to tell you a bit more on the Church Saint Pierre of Montfort L’Amaury, part I !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
A bit on the town history I like tell us that Count Amaury I who inherits the titles of his father. Under his authority will be built the castle, the ramparts, the churches of Saint Pierre and Saint Laurent . The Montfort family perpetuate themselves with Yolande who, by her marriage to the Duke of Brittany Arthur II links the county to the Duchy of Brittany. From this union was born Anne of Brittany, Queen of France twice and Duchess of Brittany who embellished the City of Montfort L’Amaury with its constructions. Today, Montfort l’Amaury has become a place of residence for artists who come to relax and find their inspiration.
The wonderful impressive by its size and the size of the town is St Peter’s Church from the 15C and 16C ordered rebuilt by Anne de Bretagne in 1491, at the place of the old medieval church of the 11C ordered built by Count Amaury Ier de Montfort. If you are into these sort of things ,there is a cemetary from the 15C and 16C surrounded by galleries looking like a cloister serving as charniers for the inhumanisation of corps taken from the old cemetary by the Church; nice looking cloister entrance.
The St Peter’s Church is made of cut stone. It consists of three naves and eleven spans. Its facade is surmounted by a tall, stocky bell tower. This same facade has a semicircular arch entrance with a semicircular bay on each side highlighting the side aisles of the nave. The church is dotted with typically Gothic bays alternating with buttresses. You will note the presence of gargoyles in the upper part of the church holding as well as buttressing arches to the east supporting the structure. Side openings provide access to the interior of the church. The église St Pierre ends on a semicircular apse also reinforced by flying arches and pierced with Gothic bays. The interior of the church is vaulted in quadripartite warheads with magnificent hanging keys.
The Romanesque St Peter’s Church, surrounded by its cemetery, was becoming too small and perhaps dilapidated. It is undoubtedly Queen Anne of Brittany who commissioned the construction of a new place of worship. The bedside and ambulatory have started, but work must be stopped before resuming around 1532; the vault of the nave then stops at the old Romanesque bell tower, still in place. The last works, covering and gargoyles, date from 1595. In 1613, the church receives a facade inspired by a drawing by Philibert Delorme. It was not until 1848 that the nave, beyond the bell tower, was raised to the height of the first part. The northern part of the Romanesque bell tower, with its two twin bays, is probably from the 11C. The construction of the bell tower-porch was completed in 1851.
Finally, the 16C stained glass windows are perhaps the most precious jewel in the building. Brilliant in color, these thirty-seven canopies are a precious summary of the art of the time. Lead salts, enamel and Venetian glass are at the service of a refined design and a very complete iconography synthesizing the great scenes of the Old Testament, of the life of the Virgin, that of Christ and the Saints.
It is a small detour not far from Versailles or Paris but worth the off the beaten path visit to Montfort L’Amaury and the Church of St Pierre!
The town of Montfort L’Amaury on the church: https://www.montfortlamaury.fr/leglise-saint-pierre/
There you go another dandy in my beloved Yvelines 78, the royal grounds of France. And behold not know it at the time of the visit but now live in Brittany and all makes sense of the Montfort’s! Superbe!! Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Church Saint Pierre of Montfort L’Amaury, part I !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 