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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Fiacre came into being in 1511, when the inhabitants of La Ville-du-Bois, then a hamlet dependent on Nozay, obtained from the lord of Marcoussis, Admiral de Graville, a plot to build a chapel dedicated to Saint Fiacre, patron of gardeners. This choice reflected the importance of local vegetable crops. The original square chapel was erected between 1511 and 1533, then enlarged in 1548 northward, forming a rectangle. A bell tower was added to the west, followed in 1691 by a nave extended to the west, integrating the bell tower into the building.

In 1601 Louis de Godebert, vicar general of Paris, authorized the erection of a church, granting indulgences to visitors. The south side was added in 1736, and the sacristy was extended in 1784. The present pediment, decorated with a Celtic cross evoking the Irish origins of Saint Fiacre, dates back to 1903. The tower of the bell tower, built in 1647 in sandstone and cut stone, was surmounted in 1867 by a 33-metre polygonal zinc arrow, replacing a two-sided roof. Its rooster, installed in 1971, serves as a girouette and lightning rod.

The interior houses remarkable furniture, including a work bench, a 17th century pulpit and stalls from the Monastery of the Celestines of Marcoussis, destroyed in 1795. Among the sixteen statues, some are classified, such as the reliquary bust of Saint Fiacre or a carved wooden Cross Descent (XVIIIe). The modern stained glass windows, restored in 1994 by Philippe Loup, celebrate Saint Fiacre and Saint Vincent, patron of the winemakers, reflecting local activities (marishing and viticulture).

The bells, initially two (acquised in 1615 and 1765), were partially melted in 1792 to preserve only one. Since 1984, the church has had three in brass, electrified in 1952. A steel bell, removed in 1984, is displayed in the garden of the presbytery. The building, although unclassified, houses several protected objects, including a marble high altar (XVIIe) and a painting of the Holy Family (French School, XVIIe).

The church, 31 meters long and 22 wide, combines stone cut (archives, warheads), sandstone, flint and plastered coating. Its main vaulted nave is flanked by two un arched collaterals, illuminated by low grilled windows. An altar dedicated to Our Lady of Fátima, added in the 21st century, bears witness to the presence of a local Portuguese community. The unique tombstone and the inscriptions sealed near the choir recall the successive transformations of the building.

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