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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Just de Fontaines, located in the department of Saône-et-Loire, finds its origins at the end of the thirteenth or early fourteenth century. Cistercian architecture, it was dedicated to Saint Just, thirteenth Archbishop of Lyon. Originally protected by a fortified enclosure built by the inhabitants, it was looted and burned in 1362 during the Hundred Years War. The bishops of Chalon, lords of Fontaines, undertook its reconstruction by accentuating its Gothic features, as evidenced by a key vault dated 1448.

In the 19th century, the church underwent a major change with the suppression of its Cistercian flat bedside in 1829, replaced by an apse choir in neo-Gothic style. In 1907, Fr Groffier made an inventory of parish assets. Ranked a historic monument in 1987, it houses remarkable elements such as a bell of 1515 and statues of the local sculptor François Protheau. Recently restored (2020-2022), she received the departmental award of Heritage Rubans 2024.

The building, 35 meters long, is marked by its bell tower covered with varnished tiles, typical of Burgundy, and flanked by gargoyles. Inside, there are historical tombstones, including that of parish priest François Billardet, as well as religious furniture including a 17th century Virgin with Child and an altar carved by Guillaume Bonnet. The church remains an active Catholic place of worship, integrated into the parish of Saint-Martin-des-Trois-Croix.

The cemetery that once surrounded it disappeared, except for a funeral cross. His furniture also includes statues of the patron saints of the village (Saint Hilaire, Saint Nicholas, Saint Just), works by François Protheau. Cistercian influence, studied by Michel Bonnot, is reflected in its initial architecture, while its transformations reflect stylistic evolutions and liturgical needs throughout the centuries.

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