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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Rémi de Floing, located in the Ardennes department in the Grand East region, is a religious building whose origins date from the 16th century, although its major reconstruction dates back to the 17th century. It is distinguished by its fortified choir, with scauguettes and defensive works such as shooting openings, reflecting a time when places of worship also served as refuges. Its bell tower, traditionally dated 1715 but probably older, retains traces of these military installations, with a door rebuilt in 1752.

The monument presents an elongated plan typical of rural churches, with a unique nave preceded by a western massif including the bell tower and two side chapels. The nave, capped and covered with geometric tiles, contrasts with the vaulted choir of warheads, adorned with lilies and thirdons. The materials used, limestone and cut stone, as well as the bays in the middle of the hanger or in the cove-de-panier, illustrate the constructive techniques of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The church was once surrounded by a fortified cemetery, whose towers remained in the 19th century.

Historically, the church was linked to the abbey of Saint-Médard de Soissons, which carried out the patronage of the cure, while the local decimators were the Prior of Donshery and the parish priest of Floing. Its location on a hill near the 1870 War Memorial underscores its central role in the community and defensive life of the village. Partially classified as historical monuments in 1971, it now bears witness to the religious and military architecture of the Ardennes.

The protected elements include the facades, roofs and interior of the choir, reflecting the heritage importance of its decorations and structure. The polygonal arrow of the bell tower, the conical roofs of the scauguettes and the slate covers complete a silhouette characteristic of the fortified churches of the region. Its history, marked by reconstructions and adaptations, makes it a notable example of the Ardennes heritage, at the crossroads of medieval and classical heritages.

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