Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint Peter de Béligneux came into being in the 12th century, as evidenced by a written mention of 1220 describing a Romanesque building dedicated to St Peter, with a low bell tower and a round tower. This initial building, of small size and in poor condition at the beginning of the 19th century, was considered close to collapse, motivating almost total reconstruction between 1817 and 1898.

The major transformation began in 1817 with the building of the chapel Saint Peter (south), followed in 1836 by the chapel of the Virgin (north). In 1846, the bell tower was refected and enlarged in 1850 with the southern chapel. Between 1879 and 1898, work continued with the renovation of the choir and sacristy (by the Lyon architect Dominique Girard), the addition of a narthex in 1891, and the completion of the current eight-part bell tower, 40 metres high, in 1898.

The church adopts a neo-Gothic style, characteristic of 19th century restorations, and is built in white stone of Villebois. Its interior houses remarkable statues, including those of Jean-Marie Vianney and Pierre Chanel. The bell tower houses two historic bells: one of 543 pounds (1813), the other of 715 kg (1843). Today assigned to the Catholic cult, it depends on the diocese of Belley-Ars, within the Archdiocese of Lyon.

Local sources, such as the works Tourist and Archaeological Resources of the Canton of Montluel (1999), confirm its anchoring in the heritage of the Coast, between Montluel and the plain of the Ain. Its history reflects the architectural and religious evolutions of the region, marked by post-revolutionary reconstructions and the Lyon influence.

External links