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Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Madeleine de Villeneuve, located in the department of Ain, replaces a first church of supposed Romanesque origin, mentioned for the first time in 1643. In 1654, a pastoral visit revealed an apparent structure, similar to that of the chapel of Chanteins. After the French Revolution, the neighbouring parishes of Chanteins and Agnerins were dissolved, causing an overpopulation of the church, which was destroyed in 1832 to be rebuilt with partially recovered materials.

The second church, built around a unique nave with forerunners and vaulted apses, incorporates two chapels dedicated to the Virgin and Saint Madeleine. Its west façade and pediment were completed in 1843. External and internal restorations took place in 1986, 1963 and 1994 respectively. The building houses a variety of furniture, including an 18th-century wooden Christ from Chanteins, wooden and plaster statues, and 19th-century stained glass windows.

The church illustrates the architectural and liturgical evolution of rural religious buildings in Ain, marked by post-revolutionary upheavals and the growing needs of local parishes. Its furniture and stained glass windows bear witness to the devotional practices of the 19th and 20th centuries, while preserving older elements such as the wooden Christ, the heritage of the chapel that had disappeared from Chanteins.

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