The Romanesque church of Champ-le-Duc represents the oldest religious building in the provostship of Bruyères and is considered one of the major Romanesque churches in the Vosges.
A heritage jewel
Built probably in the third quarter of the XNUMXth century, the church is one of the first and most important in the Vologne valley, just like the village which surrounds it, since it pre-existed the town of Bruyères.
The Church of the Assumption of Our Lady of Champ-le-Duc is a Romanesque-style building built on the site of an alleged 9th-century villa whose foundation is attributed to the emperor Charlemagne himself, who would have been in the habit of coming to hunt in the surrounding area. The church has undergone several restorations, in the 18th century and after the Second World War, and also at the end of the 20th century following a fire. The building is listed as a monuments since March 7, 1908.
The church houses a remarkable furniture, protected as a historic monument dating mainly from the 1781th century, in particular the organ, attributed to Nicolas Dupont, built in XNUMX, the altar tomb, the tabernacle and the baptismal font.
An evolving architecture
The church in the Germanic Romanesque style, in pink sandstone crystalline from the Vosges from the Fiménil quarries, is erected on a granite mound.
De basilica plan Representing a Latin cross, the religious building consists of a nave with three main bays, flanked by side aisles also without vaults. The transept is raised five steps above the nave due to the slope of the granite rock.
The church, partly burned down by the Swedes in 1636, required over the following centuries, numerous restorations, thanks in particular to the support of the Chapter of Remiremont.
One of the most famous priests of Champ-le-Duc was Monseigneur Saumier, archbishop “in partibus” of Caesarea. He intervened in particular with the chapter of Remiremont to finance the reconstruction of the nave in the 1720s.
We invite you to consult the website of the Association Racines de Bruyères et sa Région, in order to discover in detail the history and the architectural description of the building.
An association to support cultural development
La Dame de Champ is an association under the 1901 law whose aim is the enhancement of the Romanesque church of Champ-Le-Duc and the heritage preservationIt was created on January 1, 2009.
Made up of volunteers united by the same desire to promote the Romanesque church of Champ-Le-Duc, the association organizes each year concerts. A variety of groups, both French and international, perform and take advantage of the beautiful acoustics from the church.
It is thanks to visitors and concert-goers that the church of Champ-Le-Duc will continue to exist, you who may discover it for the first time or you who come back to charm your eyes and ears once again.
Visit the Romanesque church
Free tours of the church from May to September for the general public.
Guided tours available for groups all year round – contact the Bruyères Vallons des Vosges Tourist Office – 03.29.50.51.33
