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Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Rémy d'Auneau, located in the commune of Auneau en Eure-et-Loir, is erected between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. It replaces a primitive Christian sanctuary built near a sacred fountain of the Druids, now extinct but whose traces remain in the form of a basin adjacent to the north wall of the building. This fountain, dedicated to Saint-Maur, was a major pilgrimage site in Beauce, attracting up to 8,000 people in the 19th century for its supposed virtues against paralysis, gout and epilepsy. The site was particularly popular on the eve of Saint John.

The church has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1967. Its initial location, excentrated from the present town, led to the construction of a second church, Saint-Étienne, between 1892 and 1895 to meet the needs of the population. Since February 2016, Saint-Rémy has been the subject of a restoration campaign aimed at preserving its architectural and historical heritage.

The adjacent cemetery is home to a remarkable American walnut, 22 metres high for a circumference of 2.90 metres. The building is thus a testimony both to the medieval religious history of the region and to popular practices related to sacred sources, then integrated into the Christian tradition.

Auneau, where the church stands, is a former commune that became a delegate in 2016 within Auneau-Bleury-Saint-Symphorien. Its history is marked by an occupation potentially dating back to the Roman and Gaulish era, with a significant development in the Middle Ages around the feudal castle and the local seigneury. The fountain and Saint-Rémy Church, located northwest of the present centre, constitute the historic cradle of the city.

The region, crossed by the Aunay and close to major communication routes (A10, A11), has always been a strategic crossroads. The church, through its pilgrimage and architecture, illustrates the importance of places of worship in the social and spiritual organization of the Beauce, between traditional agricultural activities and popular devotions.

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