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Origin and history

The church Saint-Martin de Genneteil, located in the Maine-et-Loire department in Noyant-Villages, finds its origins in an ancient history. As early as 774, a villa belonging to the chapter of the Basilica of Saint Martin de Tours was attested on the site, followed by the mention of a chapel in 862. A royal act of the tenth century confirms this ecclesiastical possession. Although the archives of Saint Martin were destroyed by a fire, an inventory kept in town hall reveals that the canons of Tours presented the cure of Genneteil until the Revolution. The nave, mainly dating from the 12th century, retains traces of subsequent restorations, such as that of the choir in 1688-1690.

The architecture of the church is distinguished by a unique nave of 28 meters, illuminated by windows in full hanger and extended by three apses in step, whose sides form a false transept. The structure, probably of the 15th century, covers a nave whose northern walls contain very erased murals. The bell tower, built in the 13th century above the southern crusillon, saw its arrow and belfry restored in the 19th century. Ranked a historic monument in 1969, the church illustrates the architectural and religious evolution of Anjou, from its medieval foundations to its modern transformations.

Historical sources point to the lasting link between Genneteil and the chapter of Saint Martin de Tours, whose influence extended to the appointment of parish priests until the French Revolution. Successive restorations, including those of the 19th century roofs, are evidence of continuous maintenance of the building. Protected elements include the 11th century nave, the 12th century choir, and the west gate, reflecting a rich architectural stratigraphy. Today, the church remains a communal heritage open to the visit, anchored in the religious and historical landscape of the Pays de la Loire.

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