Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Maurice church of Mervans, built in the 14th century on the foundations of a Romanesque chapel, is dedicated to Saint Maurice. Its architecture combines Gothic elements (a vaulted nave in a broken cradle, transept with warheads) and an iconic Renaissance-style bell tower, covered with varnished tiles from Burgundy. This bell tower, 35 meters high, survived the total collapse of the church in 1902, after a unsuccessful restoration in 1893. The only vestige of the original building, it was restored in 1894 by the entrepreneur François Bérard, according to the plans of architect François Dulac.

The reconstruction retained a cruciform plan and a remarkable interior decoration, including a mural painting of the choir (1946) classified as a historical monument. Directed by Peter Paulin and Renée Besson, it depicts biblical scenes such as the Supper or the Baptism of Christ, surrounding a glorious Christ. The church also houses a 15th century tombstone, classified in 1903, decorated with the effigies of Pierre Clément (priest) and Jean Clément (bourgeois), under gothic accolades flordelized.

Consecrated to Catholic worship, the church falls under the Diocese of Autun and the parish of the Holy Trinity in Bresse. His furniture and works of art, such as the statues of the portal carved by Michel Bouillot, bear witness to his rich artistic and religious past. The bell tower tors, rare in Burgundy, makes it an emblematic monument of the Saôno Brasse, mixing medieval and Renaissance heritage.

The collapse of 1902, followed by partial reconstruction, marks a turning point in its history. The successive restorations (XIX–XX century) preserved its hybrid character, between Gothic tradition and Renaissance innovations, while integrating modern creations such as the 1946 fresco. Today, the church remains an active place of worship and a witness to Burgundy religious heritage

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