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Key figures

Origin and history

The Notre-Dame d'Arville church, located in the commune of Arville (Loir-et-Cher), is part of a historical complex linked to the Templar Commandery founded in the 12th century. Although the current buildings date from the 16th century, it retains its status as a chapel of the commandory, classified as historical monuments. It houses two remarkable objects: a 1788 bronze bell and an eagle-shaped wooden lutrin from 1776.

The command office of Arville, to which the church is attached, has undergone several major changes. After the fall of the Templars, it passed into the hands of the Order of the Hospital, then was declared national during the French Revolution. In the 20th century, it was restored by the community of communes of Perche and opened to the public in 1983, becoming a place of memory on crusades and Templars.

Arville, now a common delegate within Couëtron-au-Perche, has seen a sharp decline in its population since the 1970s, reflecting the decline in many rural areas. The church and the commandory remain major testimonies of the medieval and religious history of the Perche region, attracting visitors for their architectural heritage and their thematic museum.

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