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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Collège Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Champeaux, located in Ille-et-Vilaine, is an ancient parish church that became a collegiate church in the 15th century. Founded in 1430 by Robert I of Espinay, it replaces a funeral chapel dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene, the burial place of the lords of Espinay. In 1437, Pope Eugene IV raised the building to the rank of collegiate, with a chapter of six canons. The reconstruction of the choir and the addition of stalls, stained glass windows and tombs in the 16th century reflect the influence of the family of enlightened patron Espinay.

The architecture combines flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance styles, with a glass mistress (1520-1540) and narrative stained glass windows such as that of Saint Barbe (16th century). The furniture includes stalls carved from grotesques (1530), a triumphal tomb for Guy III of Espinay and Louise of Goulaine (1552-1553), and a mausoleum for their daughter Claude (1555-1560), works by Jean de L'Espine. These elements, classified as Historical Monuments since 1907-1910, bear witness to the diplomatic and cultural role of the Espinay, close to the Dukes of Brittany and then to the kings of France.

The college, classified in 1910, also preserves a partially demolished cloister, a 17th century well, and altars of the 16th-15th centuries. The construction campaigns (XV-XVI centuries) meet the liturgical and funeral needs of the seigneurial family, while the bell tower, added in 1720, completes the whole. The site, which has been renovated since 2015, illustrates Breton religious art and the legacy of the great local feudals.

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