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Origin and history

The Chiddes Reconciliation Church, originally dedicated to Saint-Étienne, is a Romanesque building built in the 1st quarter of the 12th century. Located in the commune of Chiddes (Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), it has retained major architectural elements of its original period, including its transept, bell tower and apse in cul-de-four. These characteristics make it a remarkable testimony of Burgundy Romanesque religious architecture.

The church bell tower, which had been protected since 1927 by an inscription order to the Historic Monuments, once housed a bell dated 1514, which was classified in 1935. This historic bell, now deposited in the nave, was replaced in 1961 by a new one. In 2018, protection was extended to the entire building, recognizing its overall heritage value.

Inside, the 18th-century high altar (1718) is decorated with a chalice and two coats of arms: that of the La Guiche family ("From the Sinople to the Golden Jumper") and that of the Langeac ("Door to three pairs of vair"). These heraldic weapons suggest historical links with local noble families, although their exact role in building or maintaining the church is not specified in the sources.

The church belongs to the diocese of Autun and is part of the parish of Monts-du-Charolais, whose seat is in Saint-Bonnet-de-Joux. As a place of Catholic worship, it remains active and open to the faithful, in accordance with the 1905 Law on the Separation of Churches and the State. Its property belongs to the municipality of Chiddes.

The location of the building, noted as "a priori satisfactory" (level 6/10), places the church in the Bourg de Chiddes, at approximately 5022 Le Bourg, 71220. The cadastral coordinates specify its location on Parcel No.90, section AE. No information is available on its accessibility to the public outside religious offices.

Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its importance in the religious and architectural heritage of Saône-et-Loire. The church illustrates both the sustainability of the Romanesque buildings in Burgundy and the evolution of their heritage protection, from a partial inscription (clocher) to a global recognition in 2018.

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