Collegiate Church of Saint Martin in Champeaux

The most beautiful religious building in the Brie region, the Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin in Champeaux remains the only witness of a college (community) of canons which welcomed a famous center of theological studies and chant.
The Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin in Champeaux, listed as a Historic Monument in 1940, is a beautiful and large church built from the middle of the 12th century to the beginning of the 14th century.
It was the church of a chapter of canons also called college from which it derives its name as a collegiate church. There was a singing school which trained some choristers for the communities from all the region in this exceptional acoustic.
The prosperity of the canons allowed the construction of a church with remarkable architectural qualities. It has a length of 69.55 m, a width of 24.20 m, a height in the nave of 15.30 m and its bell tower culminates at nearly 30 m. The oldest parts of the building, such as the transept, date back to the middle of the 12th century and the rest of the church illustrates the main stages of rayonnant gothic architecture.
The whole, completed at the beginning of the 14th century, has come down almost intact, enriched during the Renaissance with a beautiful set of stained glass windows and very beautiful choir stalls and in the 18th century by a large carved wooden reredos.

The architecture of the rather bare early Gothic style is however enriched with sculptures : a large number of carved capitals with plant motifs, characters and various monsters that dot the choir and the transept. There is within the Collegiate the most important set of 14th century tomb slabs in the region.

In 1946, faced with the state of degradation into which the monument had fallen, the Association des Amis de la Collégiale was founded to help the municipality preserve and enhance this heritage.

The Collegiate Church houses several objects protected as Historic Monuments : 16th century statues, a 17th century tabernacle, an 18th century eagle lectern, 19th century prie-dieux and a cantor's stool...

The famous sculptor Rodin was passionate about this beautiful monument to which he often returned. He produced architectural drawings of the Collegiate Church, reproductions of which are displayed there.

The Association Guillaume de Champeaux has been offering since 1983 concerts, exhibitions and guided tours of the Collegiate Church.