Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Bonneval, located in the department of Eure-et-Loir in the Centre-Val de Loire region, is an emblematic religious building of primitive Gothic, built mainly at the beginning of the thirteenth century. Its low parts, like the flat bedside and some windows in the middle of the hanger, date back to the end of the 12th century, making it contemporary of Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral. The architecture combines lightness and elegance, with foothills supported by arches and decorative gargoyles, though not functional. The central nave, flanked by two collaterals, extends 47 metres long, while the stone vault rests on twelve columns, some of which were unbalanced by the flood of 1665.

The slate arrow, which culminates at 65 metres and dates from the 16th century, is decorated with a gallery and houses three bells, two of which are classified (1598 and 1793). The pinions, also from the 16th century, are decorated with hooks. Inside, a triforium girds the nave, surmounted by ogival windows. The furniture includes 19th-century stained glass windows, including a rosette depicting the Virgin and local saints, as well as classified paintings, such as La Multiplication des loaves (inspired by Daniel Hallé) and a copy of a Poussin, from Saint-Florentin Abbey. These works, restored in 2023, illustrate the church's rich artistic heritage.

The statuary, varied in materials (wood, stone), includes a Virgin with Child, a bust of Bishop Claude-Hippolyte Clausel de Montals (1824–52), and polychrome statues of saints such as Georges or Sébastien. The church, classified as a historical monument since 1954, now belongs to the parish of Saint Paul in Val, in the dean of Dunois. Its history reflects both the influence of local abbeys and medieval architectural developments, marked by subsequent restorations (especially between 1885 and 1893).

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