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Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of St. Theresa of Guilherand-Granges has its origin in the demographic expansion of the Granges-lès-Valence district in the early 20th century. In 1928, facing the remoteness of the parish church Sainte-Eulalie, the bishop of Viviers, Bishop Étienne-Joseph Hurault, ordered the construction of an annex chapel dedicated to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. A land is acquired, and a subscription launched in 1931 via La Croix de l'Ardèche allows its construction. The temporary chapel was blessed in 1935 by Bishop Pierre-Marie Durieux, successor to Bishop Hurault.

Population growth (1,966 inhabitants in 1954, 4,433 in 1962) made the chapel insufficient. A new church, designed by architect Paul Bouchardeau, was built in concrete and consecrated on June 9, 1963. Its basilical plan, its stained glass windows created by Swiss artist Yoki (Émile Aebischer), and its liturgical elements (stone altar of the Gard, ambon, tabernacle) make it a landmark building. The architecture, with non-parallel walls forming a fan, symbolically directs the gaze towards the choir.

Between 1991 and 2024, the church evolved with the merger of local parishes and integration into the Inter-Paroissial Ensemble of Crussol. In 1998, the two parishes of Guilherand-Granges merged, and in 2003, the parish of Saint-Pierre de Crussol was founded. Recent works (2017-2024) include the expansion of the halls, the beautification of the courtyard, and the planned construction of a campanile east of the entrance. A sculpture by Philippe Kaeppelin, initially rejected on the facade, finds its place there after restoration in 1993.

The name of the church pays tribute to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, patron saint of the first place of worship of Granges-les-Valence. A commemorative marble plaque in the entrance chamber honours Father Prat (1903-1964) and the benefactors who contributed to his construction. The stained glass windows, made by the Benoit Workshop of Nancy, represent Saint Thérèse, the Virgin and Saint John the Baptist, while an anonymous painting of the twentieth century adorns the choir.

The church's history reflects the social and religious transformations of Guilherand-Granges, from 470 inhabitants in 1831 to over 10,000 in 1991. Its central role in the community is affirmed despite the designation of the church of Saint-Péray as the central church of the E.I.P. in 1994. Today, it still hosts major celebrations and embodies the contemporary religious heritage of Ardèche.

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