Church of Sainte-Anne de Lamotte-Beuvron dans le Loir-et-Cher

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Origin and history

The church of Sainte-Anne de Lamotte-Beuvron was built between 1858 and 1861 to replace a 17th century chapel, which had become too small and old. This project was partly financed by a personal donation from Napoleon III. The building preserves elements of the old church, including the black marble epitaph of Marguerite-Félicité de Lévis de Ventadour, founder of the parish in 1703, and that of his son, Henri de Durfort, who died in 1697.

The parish of Lamotte-Beuvron was established in 1703 at the initiative of Marguerite-Félice de Lévis, duchess Durfort de Duras, who resided at the Château de La Mothe. The chapel of the castle, dedicated to Saint Anne, was then used as a parish church. The term Saint Anne was chosen in honour of the Archbishop of Bourges, Anne de Lévis de Ventadour, uncle of the Duchess, although the parish depended on the diocese of Orléans.

The present church, designed by architect Jules de La Morandière, houses four bells melted by Bollée, named Angèle, Marie-Thérèse, Célestine and Anne-Marie-Célestine. These bells, of distinct sizes and notes, testify to the importance of the building in local religious life. The church remains today the heart of the inter-paroisial group of Lamotte-Beuvron and the surrounding communes.

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