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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame des Autels-Villevillon, classified as a Historical Monument, finds its origins in the 11th century, when it was given to the abbey of Saint-Père de Chartres after having been deemed irrecoverable because of its state of ruin. This first state, although not well known, marks its anchor in the local medieval religious network, linked to a major Chartrain institution. Partial reconstruction and transformation took place mainly at the end of the 15th century, with the addition of a chevron frame forming partly panelled farms, as well as new drills (west gate, flamboyant bays). This work is probably accompanied by the creation of a painted decoration, reflecting the stylistic evolution towards the late Gothic.

The French Revolution disaffected the church for ten years, before it was reunited under the Concordat in the parish of the Autels-Saint-Eloi. In 1835, the merger of the two municipalities gave rise to the Autels-Villevillon, saving the building from a demolition programmed thanks to the mobilization of the inhabitants. The church, spared by the 19th century restorations, thus retains architectural features of the 18th century, including its Romanesque apse pierced with greyberry bays and its typical structure of the Perche rural churches. Its listing in the Inventory of Historic Monuments in 2006 protects the entire building (Cadastre C 85), today communal property.

The building is part of a regional typology of rural churches in Perche, marked by Romanesque apsides and arched structures. Its exceptional state of conservation, not altered by subsequent interventions, makes it a rare testimony of medieval and modern constructive practices. The location, reported as satisfactory (note 7/10), places the church along the Chapelle Royale road, in a preserved rural setting. The protected elements include the entire structure, highlighting its heritage importance for the department of Eure-et-Loir and the Centre-Val de Loire region.

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