The best traffic-free bike rides around Ermenonville-La-Grande

The main nave, ending in a semicircular apse, is preceded by a timber-framed porch and opens to the north onto a chapel through a wide archway. The timber-framed bell tower, clearly from the same period as the 17th-century wainscoting, rests on a base spanning the nave. A second nave is covered with quadripartite masonry vaults from different periods. Of a dressed stone tower, only the spiral staircase and the first level remain, built between the 11th and 13th centuries. The side aisle was built in the 14th century and enlarged in the 16th. 1660: Supposed collapse of the tower attached to the nave, of which only the first level remains. 1679: Paneling on the nave and probable construction of the small timber-framed spire. 19th century: Supposed construction of the timber-framed chapel. The church was under the jurisdiction of the chapter of Notre-Dame de Chartres (the chapter's name can be seen on the lock of the small door on the right and is painted on the walls of the capital with stars and the date 1733 L.M.M.P.).

At the exit of the village, you will notice the Saint-Aignan church; it was almost entirely rebuilt from 1895 onwards on the foundations of the old church after being destroyed by an unfortunate fire.

According to biblical accounts, the apostle "Saint Jacques" was the first person to be executed for his faith, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, making him an early martyr (blood witness) of Christianity. His tomb in the town named after him, "Santiago de Compostela" (Galicia, Spain), is one of the most famous and important pilgrimage destinations in the world and is often ranked third after Jerusalem and Rome. Yesterday (July 25) was his feast day in the calendar of saints. When this date falls on a Sunday (this was last the case in 2021), the Catholic Church celebrates a special "Holy Year" there (extended by Pope Francis until 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic).

The place to take a break in Illiers-Combray.

Very beautiful church from the 15th century with a painted wooden beam ceiling.

Unfortunately, the church was not accessible when I visited (mid-September 2024). You could only look in through a gate and the dance of death depictions on the left side were not really visible. In front of them were transparencies with skeleton drawings. Maybe those were the depictions...

Very beautiful church and the public toilets next to it are perfect, even for filling water bottles too large for the classic sinks.

The Saint-Pierre church bears within itself the testimony of the centuries by the successive contribution of what they had the possibility of offering of the most truly sacred, it appears in its harmonious silhouette at the crossroads of two great natural regions, Beauce and the Perch. A living work, injured several times but restored, it is more beautiful now than it ever was. Rebuilt at the end of the 15th century, the Saint-Pierre church has been classified as a "Historic Monument" since 1907. It has two chapels, one of which, under the imposing bell tower bearing the date 1620, forms the Latin cross. A major restoration campaign has been carried out in recent years. The roof has been completely redone, preserving the original framework. The western window blocked at the beginning of the 19th century has been restored, a new stained glass window restores its nobility. The church offers a remarkable interior, in particular its imposing altarpiece and a statue of the Trinity, both listed as heritage sites.