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Origin and history

Saint Vincent de Paul Church is a Catholic religious building built in the district of Nonères, northeast of Mont-de-Marsan, Prefecture of the Landes. His conception is inspired by the Dutch sheepfolds, with reference to the biblical parable of the lost Brebis. The materials used — reinforced concrete and glass — as well as its apparent pine wood frame of the Landes reflect a modern architecture adapted to the limited resources of the young parish, created in 1960 to serve 1,873 inhabitants.

The parish was founded on 23 February 1960 by the decree of Bishop Clement Mathieu, detaching from the churches of Madeleine and Saint-Médard. Father Darricau, the first pastor and former minister of Saint-Médard, initiated the construction of the church on a land offered by Dr. Étienne Labrit. Local architects Pierre and Michel Dépruneaux direct the works, with a first stone laid on September 25, 1960. The building was blessed on September 22, 1963 by Bishop Robert Bézac, successors of Clement Mathieu.

The church is distinguished by its dardian roof with two sections going down almost to the ground, pierced by six skylights and decorated with a monumental cross in relief on the southern gable. Inside, a unique nave without a column highlights eight stained glass windows made by Raymond Clercq-Roques in 1961, illustrating biblical themes (Genesis, Cross) or abstract compositions. The concrete campanile, added in 1978, houses three bells. The ensemble — church, presbytery and liaison gallery — was inscribed in the Historical Monuments on 27 November 2007.

Nicknamed "La Bergerie" for its form or "The Church of the Castors" because of its proximity to the eponymous district, it belongs to the diocesan association of Air and Dax. Its capacity to accommodate 700 places makes it a central place for the local Catholic community, marked by both functional and symbolic architecture, mixing modernity and pastoral references in the Landes.

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