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Origin and history

The parish church of Saint-Léger, located in Saint-Lager, features an external architecture typical of the churches of the region, with the exception of its hexagonal bell tower with a dome, which brings a touch of originality. The quasi-rectangular plan, the shallow sides and the gilded stone arches contrast with the massive appearance of the building. Inside, the space is organized like a basilica, with square pillars delineating an ancient transept and a semicircular choir decorated with palm vaults. The painted decorations, inspired by tapestries and stained glass, date in part from the 19th century, although traces of older paintings remain under the later layers. The pulpit to be preached, withdrawn after Vatican II, left a visible mark, while an unidentified coat of arms could be linked to local seigneurial families, such as the Espaux or the Chardonnay.

The history of Saint-Lager is closely linked to his successive lords. In the Middle Ages, the territory depended on the Sires of Beaujeu, then moved to the Laye family from 1285, which retained it until the end of the 16th century. In 1589 Philibert de Laye bequeathed the seigneury to the Chardonnay de Salornay, before Antoine de Chardonnay lost it in 1695 to Gaspard Jourdan, attorney general in Lyon. The Revolution spared the descendants of Jourdan, who had become Brosses-de-Cuzieu, who remained owners until the death of Aimé-Eugénie de Cuzieu in 1889. The church, originally dedicated to Saint-Clair under the archpried of Belleville, was completely redecorated in 1856 by the Lyon workshop of Giovanni Zacchéo, marking its present appearance.

The building, classified as Historic Monument in 2024, illustrates the architectural and artistic evolutions of the region, from medieval additions to 19th-century transformations. Its bell tower, built behind the old choir, partially masks the original filling bays, now represented in trompe l'oeil on the vault. The interior decorations, combining religious motifs and coats of arms, bear witness to the successive influences of seigneurial families and restoration campaigns. The location of the church, between Place de la Bascule and Route des Brouilly, makes it a central point of the village, linked to its feudal and winemaking history, characteristic of the Rhodanian Beaujolais.

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