Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Genouillé is a Catholic building located in the village of Genouillé, Charente-Maritime (New Aquitaine). Its construction spans between the 12th and 14th centuries, with a nave and façade dating from the 12th century, while the choir dates back to the 14th century. The facade, surmounted by a nude pediment, features two floors of arched arched arches, and a portal adorned with sculpted vestments resting on columns with capitals decorated with foliage and figures. The lateral portals are filled with a fern opus, a decorative technique typical of Saintongese Romanesque art.

Inside, the church houses a funerary liter bearing the coat of arms of Alexander de Morell (a lion crowned on a gold background) and Marguerite Gousse de La Roche Allart (nine silver diamonds on a red background), placed on a cross of Malta and anchors in a jumper, surrounded by the cordon of Saint Louis. A spiral staircase, integrated in the thickness of the walls, leads to the vaults and is protected in the upper part by a defense chamber, a rare element in rural churches. The bell tower and façade were classified as historical monuments in 1913, while the rest of the building was listed in 1996.

The campanile, once on two floors, overcomes the arch of the choir. This architectural detail, combined with defensive elements such as the room protecting the staircase, suggests a dual religious vocation and refuge, common in the medieval churches of this border region between Saintonge and Aunis. The heraldic decorations and the quality of the sculptures indicate links with local noble families, although their exact role in the construction or beautification of the church is not specified in the sources.

The building thus illustrates the stylistic transitions between Romanesque and Gothic, while at the same time showing the defensive and symbolic concerns of rural communities in the Middle Ages. Its partial classification since 1913 underscores its heritage importance, reinforced by its global inscription in 1996, preserving a remarkable example of Charentais-Maritime religious heritage.

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