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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativity church of Us, located in Val-d'Oise, is a complex building built from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. Its north crusillon preserves Romanesque archatures and a cul-de-four apsidiole from the second quarter of the 12th century, while the southern chapel, of radiant Gothic style, dates from the third quarter of the 13th century. The most remarkable parts, such as the cross of the transept and the choir, were built in two phases, with a prolonged interruption between the 12th and 13th centuries. The vault of the base of the bell tower, rebuilt in the 16th century, and the present nave, rebuilt in Gothic Revival style in the 19th century, testify to successive transformations.

The church replaces a Romanesque building probably built at the end of the 11th century, as suggested by the excavations of the north crusillon. The reconstruction of the Gothic choir began at the latest in the 13th century, with a seven-sided apse and a straight span. The southern chapel, inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle de Paris, was added shortly afterwards, replacing a Romanesque crusillon. After the Hundred Years' War, repairs were made, especially on the bell tower, whose belfry floor was demolished. The Romanesque nave was destroyed in the 19th century and replaced by a neo-Gothic nave, integrating ancient capitals.

The church was listed as historic monuments in 1926, with the exception of the nave. Despite occasional restorations, especially on the apse, much of the building remains in poor condition. Today, it depends on the parish Avernes and Marines and hosts Sunday Masses irregularly. Its furniture includes several classified statues, including a 14th century Virgin with Child and a 16th century funeral plaque.

The architecture of the church reflects its turbulent history: the Gothic choir, sober but elegant, contrasts with the southern chapel with delicate windows, inspired by Parisian radiance. The north crusillon, rebuilt in the 19th century, preserves traces of its Romanesque origin, while the nave, although recent, reuses medieval elements. The exterior, marked by prominent foothills and a cornice of crows, reveals a robust structure, despite the disappearance of the upper floor of the bell tower.

The classified furniture, such as the statue of the Virgin with the Child or the funeral plaque of Jehan de Trossy, adds a historical and artistic dimension to the building. These elements, combined with the varied architecture, make Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativity Church a valuable testimony to the evolution of religious styles and practices in the French Vexin, from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

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