Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame-de-Immaculée-Conception, also known as the Church of Notre-Dame, is a Catholic building located in Petit-Bourg-des-Herbies, in the municipality of Herbiers, in the department of Vendée. Founded in the Middle Ages by the monks of Saint-Michel-en-l-Herm, it was originally composed of two parishes: Notre-Dame and Saint-Pierre, which gave birth to the current towns. The early, Lombard-style church was partially destroyed during the Vendée wars, leaving only the central nave, the old bell tower and a span.

The bell tower, the only remaining standing element of the medieval building, was inscribed in historical monuments by decree of 26 December 1927. Today, the church belongs to the municipality of Herbiers and since 1997 has been part of the Catholic parish of Saints-Pierre-et-Paul-des-Herbies, integrated into the diocese of Luçon. It remains an active place of worship, linked to local religious and community history, notably through the private school Notre-Dame du Petit-Bourg, which perpetuates her Marian patronage.

The Vendée wars, which marked the region at the end of the 18th century, profoundly altered the local architectural heritage. The Church of Our Lady is an emblematic example of this, where medieval vestiges coincide with a more recent history marked by religious and political conflicts. Its bell tower, which has been protected for nearly a century, symbolizes the resilience of this heritage to historical upheavals.

External links