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Origin and history

Église Sainte-Marie d'Avrainville, located in the Essonne department in Île-de-France, is a Catholic parish church dedicated to Saint Mary. Although mentioned in 1070, no preserved part dates back until the 12th century. The rectangular building includes a two apsidiole bedside and a two-storey square bell tower, partially rebuilt after the destruction of the Hundred Years War. Major restoration campaigns took place in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, with subsequent modifications such as the nave panelling in 1728.

The church suffered significant deterioration during the Hundred Years War, requiring significant repairs in the late 15th and 16th centuries. The bell tower, dated the 13th century, has traces of an initial enhancement, as evidenced by the sharp foothills. The entrance gate, the only vestige of the 12th century, is decorated with columns with capitals and a carved archvolt. The vaults of the choir, reconstructed in the 16th century, display dogive cross-sections with liernes and thirdrons, while the nave was covered with a panel in 1728.

Ranked a historic monument by decree of 29 December 1983, the church benefited from a complete restoration between 1995 and 2017. The works, supported by the Association for the Safeguarding of French Art, concerned the apsidioles, the bell tower, the north and south facades, and the interior. The bedside, completed by two cul-de-four apses, and the more recent collateral reflect successive architectural developments. The building remains a testament to the transformation of the rural churches of Île-de-France, between destruction, reconstruction and heritage preservation.

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