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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame-des-Sablons d'Aigues-Mortes, built around the middle of the 13th century under Saint Louis, is the last vestige of the boarding of crusades. In Gothic style, it precedes the construction of the city walls. Collegiate in 1537, it suffered destruction by Protestants in 1575, then the fall of its bell tower in 1634 made it unusable for almost a century. The parish is temporarily transferred to the chapel of the White Penitents.

Major works from 1738 to 1744 altered the orientation of the building and rebuilt the clock tower. During the Revolution, the church became a barracks and salt depot, before returning to its religious vocation in 1804. Restored in a neo-classical-baroque style in the 19th century, it lost most of its decorations in 1964-1967 to regain a medieval sobriety. A Gallo-Roman altar, classified in 1990, attests to its ancient origin.

In 1991, contemporary artist Claude Viallat, from the Supports/Surfaces movement, created 31 abstract stained glass windows in collaboration with master glassmaker Bernard Dhonneur. These works, covering 61 m2, transform the interior light thanks to innovative techniques of blown glass and enamelling. Funded by the state, communities and patrons, they symbolize a fusion of historical heritage and modern art.

The church was listed as a historical monument in 1949, and was classified in 1990 for its Gallo-Roman altar. In 1992, Prince Louis de Bourbon, heir to the throne of France, delivered his first public speech and received the honorary citizenship of Aigues-Mortes. Today, the building combines Gothic architecture, medieval traces and contemporary creations.

The present furniture is limited to a few statues of the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as to three bells, one classified from 1740, fondue by Jean Poutingon. The three-ship nave and flat bedside conserve 13th-century bays, while the lateral chapels date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The reshuffles of the 19th century, now erased, had added ceilings with caissons and a heavy decor.

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