St. Samson Church, La Roche-Guyon

The Saint-Samson church is a Catholic parish church located in La Roche-Guyon, in the Val-d'Oise. Its construction began in 1404, when King Charles VI granted permission to build a parish church outside the perimeter of the castle. However, the work was soon interrupted by the Hundred Years' War, and only resumed in the second quarter of the following century. The church was originally designed in the flamboyant Gothic style, but as was often the case in the 16th century in the region, the finishing touches were made in the Renaissance style. Its plan, quite simple, foresees originally only a central vessel of five bays ending in a flat chevet, accompanied by two aisles, the last of which ends in a sloping wall. The bell tower rises above the first north bay. The north aisle was remodeled in the 18th century, and a series of four side chapels were added on the north side. The church of Saint-Samson was registered as a historical monument by decree of June 4, 1926. Today it is affiliated with the pastoral sector of the western Vexin with headquarters in Magny-en-Vexin, and Sunday masses are generally celebrated there on the second and fourth Sunday of the month.