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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre de Varzy, located in the Nièvre department, has its origins long before the 10th century. According to the writings of the bishop of Auxerre Gaudry (918-933), three churches in ruins – Sainte-Eugénie, Saint-Pierre and Saint-Saturnin – were rebuilt at his expense. In the 11th century Bishop Humbaud (1087-1114) recovered Saint Peter from the hands of lay people claiming rights to the building, marking a period of tension around its management. In 1202, Hugues de Noyers offered Saint Peter's cure to the chapter of Sainte-Eugenie de Varzy, consolidating his anchor in local religious life.

The consecration of the church was attributed to Guillaume de Grez in 1280, although an internal inscription contradicts that date. In the 16th century, François I of Dinteville united Saint-Pierre with the chapter of Varzy, before it was separated in 1660 by Pierre de Broc. The monument, characteristic of the Gothic with its two bell towers and three-storey nave, was classified as a historical monument in 1862. Its history is also linked to medieval viticulture: the canons stored their share of wine in the "banvin cellar", located under the Place du Marché.

The church furniture reflects its past prestige. There is a monumental grid of 1730, a 16th century triptych, and a polychrome stone statue of Saint Eugénie (16th century), saved from the destruction of the collegiate Saint Eugénie in 1792. The latter, classified in 1903, was exhibited in 1979 in Bratislava after restoration. In 2002, stolen treasures – including relics of Sainte-Eugénie – were recovered and placed in a secure sacristy built in 1975. The church, opened daily, remains a living testimony of religious art and local history.

The architecture of Saint Peter illustrates the radiant Gothic, with a nave with six spans and three floors, while its furniture mixes medieval pieces with Baroque elements. The paintings of the vantals, representing the Passion of Christ and the life of Saint Peter, as well as the altarpiece of the high altar dedicated to Saint Eugene, underline his central role in local devotion. The presence of two sacristies (1869) and the modern security of treasures recall the challenges of preserving an artistic, historical and spiritual heritage.

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