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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Niort, located in the Deux-Sèvres department, finds its origins in an ancient tradition linked to Charroux Abbey. A controversial donation attributed to Charlemagne in 799 already mentions a church dedicated to the Virgin on this site. In the 11th century, Pope Leo IX confirmed the possession of the church of Sainte-Marie (future Notre Dame) by the abbey. The priory will depend on Charroux until the 18th century, although no remains of the medieval building today.

The construction of the present church began on 26 May 1491, as evidenced by a commemorative plaque quoting the fascicals Pierre Sabourin and Jehan Richer. Between 1491 and 1530, the choir and part of the transept were probably erected. In 1531, master mason Mathurin Berthomé intervened to build a gallery for the organs, the western gable, and two vaults of the nave. A conflict broke out over the need for external foothills, finally imposed by the marguilliers. The northern portal bears the inscription "O mater Dei, memento mei".

The Wars of Religion (1562–98) marked a dramatic turning point for the building. In 1568, the parish priest Texereau was assassinated by Protestants, and in 1569 the city was bombed and looted. A engraving by Claude Chastillon (circa 1605) shows the church without roof, although its bell tower remains intact. Catholic worship was restored in 1598 after the edict of Nantes. In the seventeenth century, the church was restored: the roof was redone, and the stained glass of the Tree of Jesse (commanded in 1615 by François Loizeau) replaced the original broken. Françoise d'Aubigné, future Madame de Maintenon, was baptized there in 1635.

In the 18th century, the building underwent major changes: in 1770 the liturgical orientation was reversed (master altar to the west), and the side doors were condemned. The Revolution turned the church into a decader temple, then into a grain warehouse (1793). The tombs of the Beaupéan Parabère, local noble families, are dismantled to be preserved. Returned to worship in 1797, the church was classified as a historical monument in 1908, after the partial collapse of its nave in 1908, requiring restoration until 1916.

The 19th and 20th centuries saw architectural additions (Western Chapels in 1883 and 1889, Western Rose in 1850) and restorations, such as that of the steeple arrow in 1853. In 2001, the organ was moved to the west, restoring the original orientation. Today the building preserves remarkable elements: stained glass windows of the Lobin workshops, a sculptured cross path (1880), and retables painted by Bernard d'Agesci.

With a length of 55 meters and a height of 18 meters, Notre-Dame de Niort combines Gothic and Renaissance styles. Its bell tower, culminating at 75 meters, dominates the urban landscape. The stained glass windows, including that of the Tree of Jesse (leaded in 1784), and the Daublaine-Callinet organ (1841) bear witness to its rich artistic heritage. The church remains a place of memory, linked to religious conflicts and local history, especially through the tombs of governors Beaupéan-Parabère.

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