Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Saint-Antoine-de-Rochefort church, located in La Ferté-Bernard in the Sarthe, finds its origins in the 14th century. According to the sources, his foundation was attributed to Jean Croupet between 1366 and 1380. The choir and the back wall of the left chapel date from this period, testifying to the first constructions of the building. Originally, the church was linked to the town of Rochefort, before it was integrated into La Ferté-Bernard.

The church became parish in 1527, a landmark date that coincided with the construction of the nave. It suffered damage during the siege of La Ferté-Bernard in 1590, in the context of the wars of Religion which then stirred the region. Reparations are taking place quickly: the roofing panel of the central ship was rebuilt in 1595, illustrating the desire to preserve the place of worship.

In the 17th century, architect Gabriel Viet led the construction of the chapel of Sainte-Anne in 1610, adding a notable architectural element to the whole. The church then underwent a general restoration completed in 1873, which probably gave it its present appearance. Its stained glass windows, made in the 19th century by glass painter E. Fouquet of Paris, adorn the building and tell in particular the life of Saint Antoine, patron of the village since the 14th century.

Ranked a historical monument in 1986, the church of Saint-Antoine-de-Rochefort now embodies a major religious and architectural heritage of the Sarthe. Its history reflects the urban, social and religious evolutions of La Ferté-Bernard, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

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