Saint-Ouen Church, Pontoise

Saint Ouen Church is a Catholic parish church located in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône, Val-d'Oise, France. It is the successor to a chapel, which was built in the late seventh or early eighth century to commemorate the passage of the funeral procession of St. Ouen to his episcopal city of Rouen, in 686. The chapel was rebuilt during the first half of the 12th century in the Romanesque style. Only the western portal remains. The rest of the chapel was rebuilt from the end of the 12th century until the middle of the 13th century. The dimensions are modest, as Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône is not yet a parish until the completion of the chapel, which then becomes a parish church. The nave and aisles were rib-vaulted during the first half of the 16th century in the flamboyant Gothic style. The chapels to the north and south of the facade also appear flamboyant, but only date from the 19th century. At that time, the church was heavily restored, and if the restoration was successful for the portal, it remained unfinished in the transept, and the Gothic choir was demolished to be replaced by a new structure in 1837. The church of Saint-Ouen is therefore not a homogeneous building, but its different parts fit together harmoniously, and its archaeological interest is undeniable. For this reason, it is registered in the inventory of historical monuments by order of June 16, 1926. Today, the church of Saint-Ouen remains the main place of Catholic worship in the commune, and its spiritual life is intense with several masses during the week, and Sunday masses throughout the year.