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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin-au-Val, located in the former hospital of Saint-Brice in Chartres (Eure-et-Loir), is part of a vast six-hectare Gallo-Roman sanctuary, which has been searched since 2006. She was one of the traditional burial places of the bishops of Chartres, alongside the church of St Peter. Its history dates back to an older convent church, attested by Merovingian sarcophagi and a capital preserved in the crypt. The monastery, first mentioned in the Life of St Lubin (where the saint was buried), was attached in 1128 to the Abbey of Marmoutier de Tours, becoming a priory.

In the 16th century, the church and its convent were severely destroyed: burned in 1568 by Calvinists, then looted during the siege of Chartres in 1591. The graves and tombs were desecrated, and the convent buildings ravaged. A major restoration took place in 1648, amputating the nave of several spans (20 meters less). In 1663 the ensemble was acquired by the Capuchins of Chartres, who raised the floor of the church by 2 meters and rebuilt the convent buildings. During the Revolution, the convent became a hospice, and the church, its chapel.

The 19th century marked a turning point with the legacy of Ferdinand de Reverdy in 1845, imposing a restoration "in its primitive state". Between 1858 and 1864, the façade was rebuilt, the floors lowered, and the apsidioles restored. This work was based on preventive excavations (1858-1862) revealing ten Merovingian sarcophagi, testimony to an ancient occupation. Classified as a historical monument in 1886, the church also houses a statue of San Sebastian protected. Today, after recent excavations (2013-2014), it is being restored for a reopening scheduled for Christmas 2025.

The site includes a closed cemetery in the east, honoring benefactors such as Ferdinand de Reverdy (1796-1852), Marie-Charlotte Midy (1767-1834), or Father Pierre Louis Bordier, celebrated for his commitment to the orphans and sisters of Saint Paul. The church, of Romanesque plan (50 m long, 1,420 m2), preserves a shortened nave, an elevated choir, and a lowered stroll. Its western facade, dated from the 19th century, is flanked by two towers.

Archaeological excavations confirmed the importance of the site, mixing Gallo-Roman, Merovingian, and medieval strata. The sanctuary, searched since 2006, reveals a continuous occupation since Antiquity. Although the cult is no longer celebrated because of the works, the church remains communal property and protected. Its history reflects religious upheavals (Religion Wars, Revolution) and successive restorations, while preserving rare traces of the Merovingian period in Chartres.

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