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Origin and history

The Saint-Aubin church of Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc, built in the 12th century, probably replaces an earlier construction built on the ruins of a Roman temple. Contemporary of Alienor d'Aquitaine, it houses behind its altar a sarcophagus reputed to contain the relics of Saint Aubin, object of a local pilgrimage until the Second World War. This cult continued despite the discovery in the 20th century that the saint's ashes had been scattered in Angers during the Revolution. Inside, a 1583 tumular plaque honours Lancelot de Ferron, seigneur of Saint-Aubin, while a 15th century statuette, found in 1970 in the foundations of the bell tower, represents a nursing Virgin.

The building, partially renovated in the second half of the 19th century, retains a Romanesque apse and the base of its original bell tower. The altarpiece installed in the 18th century divides the choir into two, masking the primitive abside. The 14th century wall paintings, visible in the lateral chapel, include a rare representation of the Annunciation. The cemetery, originally set up around the church, was transferred in 1861 for reasons of hygiene, marking a modernization of the village. The church, registered with the historical monuments in 2006, thus illustrates the architectural and social evolution of this girondine commune, passed from a medieval pastoral village to a dynamic Bordeaux suburbs.

The commune of Saint-Aubin-de-Médoc, whose development was linked to the proximity to Bordeaux, underwent a major transformation after the Revolution. The land confiscated by the emigrant M. de Villepreux was redistributed to the inhabitants, converting pastors into farmers and foresters. In the 19th century, the construction of the town hall (1860), the transfer of the cemetery (1861), and the restoration of the church with its tower rebuilt in 1889, marked a period of urban structure. These adjustments reflect the adaptation of religious heritage to the needs of a growing population, while preserving emblematic medieval elements.

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