St. Germain Church

The church of Saint-Germain-d'Auxerre is a Catholic parish church located in Boury-en-Vexin, in the Oise department, France. Founded in the early 12th century by the local lord, it is a composite building, but with a simple rectangular plan and a single level of elevation, six bays long and three bays wide. The two choir bays from the beginning of the 12th century are the oldest part. Slightly more recent are the transept crossing, at the same time the base of the bell tower, and the southern crossing, from the second quarter of the 12th century. These four bays are in Gothic style, but the windows were redone in the flamboyant period, and the vaults of the choir were rebuilt underneath during the Renaissance. Due to two important reconstruction campaigns in the second quarter and at the end of the 16th century, flamboyant and Renaissance architecture reigns over the other parts of the church and the two exterior elevations visible from the public thoroughfare, with the exception of the north aisle of the nave, which only dates from the end of the Ancien Régime, and is curiously vaulted with barrel vaults perpendicular to the axis. The large arcades show a type of pillars which, in the Vexin, exists only in Boury. The south aisle of the nave is particularly successful, and has an interesting secondary portal. The whole southern elevation is attractive because of the beautiful homogeneity of its windows with flamboyant networks. On the other hand, neither the western facade and its portal, nor the bell tower are interesting, and the choir suffers from the absence of windows. For its various particularities and its architecture representative of the French Vexin, the church Saint-Germain was registered as a historical monument by decree of July 17, 2000. It is now affiliated with the parish of Saint-François-d'Assise du Vexin with headquarters in Chaumont-en-Vexin, which has suspended the celebration of Sunday masses in 2018.