St. Médard Church

The Saint-Médard church is a Catholic parish church located in Villers-Saint-Frambourg, France. It has a small Romanesque bell tower characteristic of the Valois, which dates back to 1170 / 1180 and represents its oldest part. The choir and its two side chapels are the result of three construction campaigns close together, which can be located during the second half of the 13th century. It is therefore a work of the radiating Gothic period, of which it retains the imprint, although repairs during the 16th century have brought simplifications. The plan of the church is irregular due to the presence of the base of the bell tower: the southern chapel is smaller than the northern one. The nave and its aisles were built entirely in the 16th century and are in the flamboyant Gothic style, except for the large arcades in the north which are in the late Renaissance style. The same is true of the exterior. The whole church was built with care, even if rubble stones were sufficient for the nave. It is a quality building whose interior richness is surprising in view of the austerity of the facades, and which gives an example of the architectural interest that a small rural church of discreet appearance can have. Restored and well maintained, the church of Saint-Médard still hosted a mass every day of the week except Monday and Saturday until January 2014, a fact rare enough to be noticed. The church is classified as a historical monument in its entirety since 2004. The choir and the bell tower had already been classified in 1913.