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Origin and history

La commanderie de Verrières is a former commanderie hospitalière located in Saint-Germain-Laval, in the Loire department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Founded in the 13th century, it belonged to the order of St John of Jerusalem and consisted of a chapel, classified as a historic monument in 1911, as well as related buildings. The latter were partially inhabited in the 19th century by photographer Felix Thiollier, known for his regional photographs. The commandary also administered lands and members (former commandaries or attached estates), such as La Sauveté, Le Pizay, or the Temple of Roanne, including churches, lands, tithes and woods.

In the 17th century, the archives describe properties such as La Sauveté, with its Saint-Martin church and the ruins of a castle, or the Pizay, with farmhouses, barns and arable land. In 1789, before the Revolution, these areas included agricultural elements (pres, ponds, vineyards) and seigneurial rights (rents, justice). The list of commanders, drawn up by archaeologist Vincent Durand at the end of the 19th century, reflects the administrative and religious importance of the site, although their precise names are not detailed in the available sources.

Historical sources mention archaeological studies carried out since the 19th century, notably by Durand, as well as publications such as those of Auguste Broutin (1876) or Leopold Niepce (1883), which document the role of the Grand-Prieré d'Auvergne in the management of these orders. Today, the chapel remains protected, while other buildings, such as the house belonging to Thiollier, illustrate the evolution of the site throughout the centuries. The exact location at 311 Chemin de Verrieres is referenced in the Merimée database under the code Insee 42230 (Loire).

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