Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Collège Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Milly-la-Forêt found its origins in the 12th century, with the construction of a chapel adjoining the local castle. In the 13th century, this chapel was erected as a collegiate church, and its bell tower was raised. The monument suffered major destruction during the Hundred Years' War, notably in 1356 and 1371, before being rebuilt in Gothic style by Louis Malet de Graville, Lord of Milly from 1480. The choir and nave, inaugurated in 1495, mark this architectural renaissance.

In the 17th century, the collegiate church was enriched by the addition of the chapel of the Virgin (1630) and the lower right side (1633), as well as by the installation of a Romanesque portal recovered from the ancient church of Saint Peter (dated from 667). This portal, decorated with tores, and the tower culminating at 57 meters — the base of which dates back to the twelfth century — illustrate the fusion of Romanesque and Gothic styles. The building was listed as a historic monument on 6 March 1926, recognizing its heritage value.

The interior is home to classified treasures, such as a Virgin with the Child in polychrome wood (XVth century, ranked in 1911), a reliquary of Saint Wulfram (Archbishop of Sens and evangelizer of the Friesland), and a Lutrin in oak of the Louis XI period, decorated with an eagle symbolizing Saint John and carrying the arms of the Perrault, Saint-Aaule and Marle families (registered in 1972). The thirty-six mercies of the choir, carved in the 15th century and classified since 1912, as well as the bronze chandeliers of the 19th century (classified in 1975), testify to the artistic richness of the place.

Located near the Château de la Bonde and the River l'École, the college overlooks the old route of the departmental road 837 (now Langlois Street). Its history reflects the upheavals of Milly-la-Forêt, from medieval destructions to its reborn reconstruction, including baroque additions. Today, it remains a major religious and cultural symbol of Essonne and Île-de-France.

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