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Origin and history

The basilica Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc du Bois-Chenu, located at Domrémy-la-Pucelle in the Vosges, was erected between 1881 and 1926 on the hillside where Jeanne d'Arc, thenbergère, would have heard her voices. Originally dedicated to Saint Michel before the beatification of Jeanne in 1909, his construction was led by architect Paul Sédille until his death in 1900, then taken over by Georges Demay and his sons Émile and René. The neoroman-style building combines the pink granite of the Vosges with Euville's white stone, with mosaics and eight paintings by Lionel Royer illustrating the life of the saint.

The first stone was laid on November 3, 1881, and the first Mass celebrated in 1896, although the work continued. In 1897 four bells were installed, followed by a fifth in 1926, the year of the consecration to Saint Jeanne-d'Arc after its canonization in 1920. The basilica received its official title in 1939 and was listed as a historic monument in 2013. Its bell tower, a geodetic point, dominates the valley, while its crypt houses a statue of Notre-Dame de Bermont, venerated by Jeanne.

The interior is distinguished by its gigantic mosaics, its paintings by Alphonse Monchablon commemorating the 1870 war, and an organ built between 1942 and 1944 by Jacquot-Lavergne. The court houses statues, including Jeanne's statue offered by Quebec in 1946. The building, illuminated every night, remains a major pilgrimage site, linked to the history of the country and the identity of the country.

The basilica was also a filming venue in 2015 for the show Secrets d'Histoire, dedicated to Jeanne d'Arc. Its polychrome architecture, stained glass windows and decorations make it a notable example of the religious art of the Third Republic, combining national devotion and local heritage.

Ranked as a historical monument since 2006 (registration) and then 2013 (total classification), the basilica embodies both a tribute to Jeanne d'Arc and a witness to the architectural techniques of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its dome, bell tower and galleries, like that of the diocese of Cambrai, underline its symbolic and touristic importance.

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