A stroll through the streets of Croissy-sur-Seine will lead you to the Chapelle Saint-Léonard, a charming building with an intriguing history. With a bit of luck, you may have the privilege of visiting it!
Once the parish church of Croissy-sur-Seine, this little Gothic church was built in the early 13th century under the patronage of St Martin. Its vocation as a place of worship ended in 1882 and today it hosts exhibitions and concerts.
The church was dedicated to Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat in 1211. Restored in the mid-17th century, it is composed of a single, rib-vaulted nave and a façade crowned with a a small bell tower and flanked by an outside staircase. It was registered in the Inventaire Supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques in 1942. Perched at a height of over 6 metres (20 ft), an imperturbable Gothic head has looked down scornfully at the town's inhabitants for nearly 900 years. 'Nine centuries are watching you from this high vault', this discreet cornerstone sculpture seems to murmur. But who is it? The architect? The abbot? The seigneur? It's a mystery!
The church was dedicated to Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat in 1211. Restored in the mid-17th century, it is composed of a single, rib-vaulted nave and a façade crowned with a a small bell tower and flanked by an outside staircase. It was registered in the Inventaire Supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques in 1942. Perched at a height of over 6 metres (20 ft), an imperturbable Gothic head has looked down scornfully at the town's inhabitants for nearly 900 years. 'Nine centuries are watching you from this high vault', this discreet cornerstone sculpture seems to murmur. But who is it? The architect? The abbot? The seigneur? It's a mystery!
