Orne’s Hidden Treasures

This is the first in a series showcasing some of the less well-known landmarks and places of interest in the Orne region. With summer rapidly approaching, what better time to find out about these places than by taking some time away from the more popular, and crowded, tourist spots to discover what the Orne has to offer. My good friend, RP, introduces the series and the first of the Orne’s ‘hidden treasures’.

Whenever friends and family come to visit those of us lucky enough to live in the Orne region of Basse Normandie, it is only right that we should accompany them to, or point them in the direction of, the major attractions of our area. Most visitors wish to see Mont St Michel, the Bayeux Tapestry, the Normandy Beaches and the spa town of Bagnoles de l’Orne and quite rightly so, they are all world famous attractions. However, how much better to entertain your visitors with the treasures of the region which hardly anyone else has ever heard of, never mind visited.

One such ‘hiddentreasure’ is on our doorstep, at the small village of Menil Gondouin, four miles west of Putanges-Pont-Ecripin.

In 1873, three years after the destruction of the first building, Father Victor Paysant was appointed as Pastor to the unfinished church of St Vigor in Menil Gondouin. He immediately set about creating what he called, ‘L’Eglise vivante et parlante’ (a living, speaking church).  He wanted it to be , ‘a church that people want to visit and where they will feel happy’.

He began by painting an exterior wall with sayings from The Bible and elsewhere (I counted at least three languages, French, Latin and Arabic) and pictures of a lion, and a shepherd and his sheep. He then moved inside and let his imagination run riot. In between the paintings of various saints (Pierre, Paul, Germain, Barbe, Leonard, to name only a few) palm trees and exotic flowers adorn the walls in an amazing array of colours.

The pulpit, confessional and side altar are painted in claret and blue. The floor, from the front door to the altar, traces the family history of Jesus. Curiously, the pale blue ceiling is bare, except for one word in gold, ‘Alleluia’. Over the wall of the porch and bell tower are more saints and colourful flowers. A list of the places, including Rome and Jerusalem, the Pastor visited to gain inspiration, can be found on the inside of the main door. A painting of the great man, ‘Victor Paysant – 1841-1921- Cure de Menil Gondouin’, looks down from above the side door.

When he died in 1921, the authorities covered the paintings with a lime-wash and destroyed the statues the pastor had commisioned. That was that, until the early twenty-first century, when local people began to show an interest in restoring their ‘Painted Church’. The restoration is now complete and the church can be seen in all its original glory.

Is it art? I’ve no idea. I’ve no idea either why the church is not advertised more – although one local says that some people think it is blasphemous.

Is it a ‘Hidden Treasure’? Certainly.

Is it worth a visit? Yes!

So the next time family and friends come to visit – say you’ve got a surprise for them and take them to your local ‘Painted Church’.

                                                                                                          

                          The church is situated on the D15 -you can’t miss it.