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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame-des-Marais de Montluel, located in the Ain region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, has its origin in a 11th century legend: a statue of the Virgin Mary, discovered in the marshes bordering the Rhone, would have inspired the construction of a chapel outside the city walls. This modest building, which became a place of pilgrimage, deteriorated over the centuries, requiring its reconstruction from about 1380, on the presumed site of a medieval priory. The works, dating back to the 17th century, explain the coexistence of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles, particularly in the chapels funded by Philibert Pupunat in 1530.

The church was elevated to collegiate status in 1530 by a bubble of Pope Clement VII, marking its religious importance. It welcomed major figures of Catholicism: Saint Francis de Sales, whose remains were exhibited there in 1622 during his transfer to Annecy, and Saint Jeanne de Chantal, venerated after his visit in 1641. The building, partially listed as a historical monument in 1982 (excluding bell tower and west façade), underwent a comprehensive renovation in 1971. Its closure for desecration in 2015 recalls the contemporary challenges of preserving the sacred heritage.

Architecturally, the church is distinguished by its three naves with various styles: arched vaults, dogive crosses and caissoned ceilings, the latter rare in France (present only in Montluel and Annecy). The facade, built mainly in pebbles of the Dombes moraine, reflects this diversity with a central ogival portal and secondary doors with triangular frontons. The use of local materials and the superposition of epochs make this a unique testimony to the artistic and spiritual evolution of the region.

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