Eglise Sainte-Madeleine

The church of Sainte-Madeleine, mentioned in the texts in 1157, is the oldest in Troyes, but its oldest parts, in the nave and transept, date only from the 1200s. The style was preserved during the restoration of the 1870s. At the end of the 15th century and during the first decade of the 16th century, the choir was revived and updated, the ambulatory rebuilt and enlarged. The rood, the work of Jean Gailde, dates from 1508-1517. The church owes its fame to this extraordinary rood pole, but also to the stained glass windows that adorn the chevet, not to mention the statuary: the "Saint Martha" is one of the masterpieces of Champagne sculpture. the chevet's glass roofs, created between about 1490 and 1506, with bright, vivid and contrasting colours, favour compositions in small successive scenes distributed in horizontal registers. Some have an abundance of characters, others are sober and majestic; others offer delicate landscapes beyond characters in loose, soft and elegant clothes. Glass painters, generally unknown, have shown skill with complex glass cuts and engravings: for decorative purposes, they have multiplied the number of white or yellow engraved pearls on a red or sometimes blue background. The bands separating the registers and the lancet heads are filled with small decorative motifs evoking Renaissance art. The iconography illustrates the liturgy and is faithful to Christian orthodoxy: a privileged place is given to the history of salvation through Redemption through the Cross of Christ, a history that takes on meaning thanks to the Incarnation of God; the life of the patron saint of the church is also magnificently represented. The glass roof of Saint Louis, donated by the lawyer Simon Liboron, is original in its historical character and its support for the monarchy, and some scenes and characters from these windows have been very successful and have been reproduced in country churches: scenes from Genesis, the Passion or the Kings of the Jesse Tree. The notion of ownership of the works did not exist at the time, so the artists exchanged their cardboards, their silhouettes of characters to reuse them. Others redesigned the canopy requested by the sponsor to make a cardboard similar to but not identical to the original, all processes that made it possible to meet a massive demand.

Since June 3, 2019, audioguides are available in Ste Madeleine
Visitors have a new way, thanks to audioguides, to visit the Sainte-Madeleine church.
For 20 minutes, with 4 language choices to listen to the 13 recorded comments, everyone can discover the oldest church in Troyes at their own pace.

Audioguides to be obtained at the entrance of the church
Church hours
- In high season (April 1 to October 31)
Monday to Saturday: 9:30am-12:30pm / 2pm-6pm
Sunday, 2pm-6pm
- In low season: (November 1 to March 31)
Monday to Saturday, 9:30am-12:30pm / 2pm-5pm
Sunday, 2pm-5pm

Enjoy your visit!

Last updated on 16/03/2023 - Troyes La Champagne Tourisme