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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Sainte-Agnès de Maisons-Alfort church, built between 1932 and 1933, is an emblematic achievement of the Cardinal's Buildings initiated by Cardinal Verdier to revitalize the Church of France. Led by Abbé David, vicar of the parish of Saint-Remi, and 80% funded by Fernand Moureaux (founder of the Suze distillery), it symbolizes a collective work combining faith and modernity. Its bold architecture, signed by Marc Brillaud de Laujardière and Raymond Puthomme (price of Rome 1920), transforms a small terrain into a luminous space, inspired by Notre-Dame du Raincy, with a reinforced concrete frame and a 53-metre hexagonal bell tower.

Ranked a historic monument in 1984, the church is distinguished by its Art Deco style, marked by geometrical lines, glistening windows by Max Ingrand, and frescoes by Paule Ingrand. Its diamond plan, its dissymmetric naves inclined to 30 degrees, and the absence of transept meet the constraints of the site. The bell tower, visible from a distance, houses a bell of 700 kg, while the interior combines sobriety and symbolism, as the statue of Saint Agnes (Gabriel Rispal) evoking purity by his lamb.

The building embodies the work of total art, where architects and artists collaborate closely: ironworks by Richard Desvallières, torches by Jean Serrière, and an organ Cavaillé-Coll (1934–1936) to 781 pipes, now waiting for restoration. Inaugurated on 11 June 1933 by Cardinal Verdier, she created a new parish in a neighbourhood where there was no place of worship. His nickname "Prism of Light" underscores his cultural and spiritual role, between Christian heritage and avant-garde of the 1930s.

The patronage of Fernand Moureaux, mayor of Trouville and industrialist, accelerates its construction in less than a year. The church is also part of the local landscape, near the banks of the Marne and the Suze factory, whose owner offers the land. Its porch, topped by a monumental statue of Sainte Agnes, and its carved oak portal (Desvallières) make it a visual landmark. The noble materials, such as the polished comblanchian (limestone stone), contrast with concrete, illustrating the alliance between tradition and innovation.

Today, the Association of Friends of St. Agnes d'Alfort (A.A.S.A.A.) works to preserve this heritage, including the organ and stained glass windows. The church remains a unique testimony of the Cardinal's Buildings, movement of religious reconquest through architecture, and a masterpiece of sacred Art Deco in Île-de-France. Its history also reflects community engagement, from parishioners to artists, around a project that is both local and visionary.

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