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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Germain-d'Auxerre, located in Noisy-sur-Oise in Val-d'Oise, is a parish Catholic building whose foundation dates back to at least the 13th century, although the parish was attested as early as 832. Its current architecture, marked by a rare double ship in Île-de-France, is the result of several construction and reconstruction campaigns, notably in the 15th and 16th centuries after the damage of the Hundred Years War. The flamboyant Gothic choir contrasts with the more rustic nave, while the bell tower, dated from the twelfth or thirteenth century, bears witness to the medieval origins of the building. The chapel of the baptismal fonts and the base of the bell tower, among the oldest parts, have a stone apparatus of size characteristic of this time.

The church has undergone major transformations over the centuries, including a recoupment of the choir and chapel of Saint Joseph in the flamboyant period, as well as additions such as the sacristy in 1862. Ranked a historic monument in 1969, it was completely restored in the 1990s, revealing remains of unreconstituted murals. His furniture, though modest, included retables of the 19th century and a bell of 1785, marked by the traces of the French Revolution. Today affiliated with the parish group of Viarmes, it retains an active role in local religious life, with masses celebrated monthly.

The south elevation of the building offers a picturesque silhouette, marked by the juxtaposition of disparate volumes: the chapel of the baptismal fonts, the bell tower in the building, and the sacristy. These elements, though rustic, reflect the successive adaptations of the church to liturgical and community needs. The 17th century porch, added in front of the western gate, and the characteristic foothills of the 12th and 13th centuries, highlight this architectural evolution. Despite the absence of remarkable sculptural elements, the church is distinguished by its double-shiped plan, rare in the region, and its history linked to the abbey of Saint-Denis, former collator of the cure.

Under the Ancien Régime, Noisy-sur-Oise depended on the diocese of Beauvais, and his church was under the protection of the abbots of Saint-Denis. The French Revolution led to its attachment to the diocese of Versailles, then to Pontoise after 1966. The 19th century transformations, such as the displacement of the cemetery in 1862, freed space for the expansion of sacristy. The restorations of the 20th century, particularly that of 1992-1993, preserved this emblematic building, while partially erasing the traces of its medieval past.

The church furniture, although not classified, includes notable elements such as the woodwork of the chapel of the baptismal fonts and a carved door of the sixteenth century. The tabletops, including that offered by the Marquis de Noisy in the 17th century, illustrate the links between the building and the local noble families. The bell of 1785, blessed by the parish priest Pierre Montier, bears the names of the donors, including the Maupeou family, and the traces of the revolutionary burinages. These elements, combined with architecture, make the church a valuable witness to the religious and social history of the region.

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