Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jean-Marie-Vianney de la Buisserate, located in the eponymous district of Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux (Isère), was born of a community initiative in the 1950s. At that time, the local chapel, considered small, was no longer enough to welcome the faithful, forced to celebrate Mass in improvised places, such as a railway car. Under the impetus of Father Auguste Meyer, the population finances and actively participates in the construction of a new building, completed in 1958. This project embodies a collective will for modernity and simplicity, reflecting the aspirations of a growing Catholic community.

To realize his vision of a "simple, modest and beautiful" church, Father Auguste Meyer surrounded by avant-garde artists. The architect Jean Cognet, who was a student and originally from Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, designed a building entirely made of unworked concrete, marking his debut in a career dedicated to rigour and purity. The painter Élisabeth Meyer, affiliated with the Moly-Sabata workshop, develops an unprecedented technique of "mural on concrete", while the master glassmaker Jacques Loire signs stained glass in Boussois slab. The liturgical furniture, designed by Cognet, is made by local craftsmen, including Corréard and the Foglia brothers. This artistic ensemble illustrates the revival of post-war sacred art, inspired by the Revue L-Art Sacré, combining innovation and tradition.

After decades of activity, the church was decommissioned in 2021, following a decision by the parish council to put an end to cults and related activities. Faced with the threat of surrender, the lay association Friends of the Church of the Buisserate, created in 2022, mobilizes to preserve this unique architectural and artistic heritage. The building obtained the label "Heritage in Isère" and was registered with the historical monuments by decree of 22 December 2025, recognizing its historical and cultural importance. Despite these protections, the church remains closed to the public, waiting for a sustainable project for its future.

Today, the Church of Saint John Mary Vianney symbolizes both the heritage of a welded community and the challenges of preserving modern religious heritage. Its history reflects the social and artistic changes of the post-war period, while raising the question of reconversion of disused places of worship. Crude concrete, frescoes and stained glass testify to a time when sacred art sought to reinvent itself, between aesthetic audacity and local anchoring.

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