Champagne half timbered churches Trail
In the Great Lakes region, there is a grouping of religious buildings unlike any other in France: ten churches and a chapel built entirely of timber, between the late 15th and the 18th centuries.
Along country roads lined with ponds and lakes, forests and grasslands, this trail will lead you to the villages and their churches, with their exceptional architecture.
Churches made entirely out of timber
In this region of woods and forests, the local resources were used for building both houses and religious buildings: wood, clay and straw. The wood, mainly oak, forms the backbone of the construction. For the walls, the timber frameworks are filled with wattle and daub, a mixture of clay and fragments of straw, protected by a coating composed of lime, sand and animal hair. The facades exposed to rain are covered with tavillons (planks of wood) or wood chips.
Magnificent 16th century stained glass
Most of these churches are lit by windows dating from the sixteenth century, masterpieces of the Troyes school of painting on glass.
en savoir
Take the road and discover the Champagne half timbered churches Trail ...
Brochure (printable version .pdf)
A route in 11 stages :