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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Bonnenouveau, located at the place called Bonnenouveau in the commune of Paulhiac (Lot-et-Garonne), has its origin in two local traditions. The first relates that an image of the Virgin was discovered in an oak at the end of the 15th century, motivating the construction of a pilgrimage chapel. The second attribute its edification to the Baroness of Fumel, in thanksgiving after having found her daughter lost in a clearing. These accounts, while distinct, highlight the miraculous character associated with its foundation.

The church, built in the 16th century, suffered a fire caused by Protestants, destroying its original vaults. These were replaced by a frame, while the flamboyant-style portal, adorned with hazy ecots evoking the oak of the legend, was preserved under a porch added in the 19th century. The rectangular plan of the building ends with a slender bell tower, typical of regional religious architecture.

Classified as a historical monument on 15 September 1994, the church retains significant remains of its early structure. Its history reflects the religious tensions of the period (wars of Religion) and its role in local Marian devotion. Architectural details, such as knot-shaped pinacles, recall the founding legend related to the Virgin and the oak.

Today owned by the commune of Paulhiac, the building remains a testimony of the religious and historical heritage of New Aquitaine. Its inclusion in the inventory of historical monuments in 1994 preserved this place full of symbols, between faith, architecture and collective memory.

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