Introduction
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Gray is the parish church of the town of Gray , in Franche-Comté . Attached to the diocese of Besançon , it is part of the parish of Notre-Dame de Gray. It was built in the 15th and 16th centuries , in a hybrid Gothic – Renaissance style , on the site of a first Notre-Dame church destroyed in 1477 during the War of the Burgundian Succession . Since 1641 , it has housed the heart of Saint Peter Fourier and since 1802 the miraculous statue of Notre-Dame de Gray 1. The possession of these two relics earned it the elevation to the title of minor basilica onJuly 16, 1948by Pope Pius XII . It has been classified as a historic monument sinceApril 18, 1988.
Construction
The first mention of a church near the Château de Gray dates back to 1227. The mother parish was then in Gray-la-Ville . The archives of Gray, however, mention the presence of canons attached to the chapel of the château from the beginning of the 12th century , but who did not intervene in the parish . In 1266, Count Hugues de Chalon (1220-1266) had a chapel built dedicated to Saint Elizabeth , recently canonized, within the castle grounds. In 1319, by foundation of Queen Jeanne II of Burgundy , the chapter became royal .
The night of September 29, 1477, in the midst of the War of the Burgundian Succession , the Burgundian troops led by the Lords of Vaudrey launched an assault on the town of Gray , at the time the only town in Franche-Comté controlled by French troops. During the violent fighting, the besiegers set fire to all the houses occupied by the French, which led to the burning of the town. However, the governor Jean Salazar managed to escape . The church of Notre-Dame was probably badly damaged by the fire and the siege of the castle; it was therefore decided to rebuild it. Work on the new church began in 1478 with the laying of the first stone. The slow progress of the work allowed it not to suffer from the recapture of the town by the troops of Louis XI in 1479. Once peace had returned, and despite the economic difficulties of the region, recourse to indulgences allowed the regular financing of the work. The work progressed at a slow pace. Deprived of the castle chapel, the reconstruction of which was awaited, the canons of Gray used the new choir of Notre-Dame for their services . This implies that this part of the church was already covered in 1484. Once the choir was completed, the foundations of the transept were laid in 1509.
In 1531 the vaulting of the nave was completed. The city accounts keep the names of the master builders who succeeded one another: Matthieu Grand in 1513, Philippe Lenfant in 1523 then Antoine Le Rupt from 1527. In 1532, the paving was completed, as well as the western façade in collaboration with Pierre Arnoux. After a brief interruption the following year, Le Rupt resumed the vaulting of the side aisles and then worked on other Graylois construction sites .
However, it was not until 1548 that the nave was covered, 1559 that the bell tower covered in tin was completed , and 1571 that the staircase on the south façade was completed.
In the mid-17th century, around 1660, significant architectural changes were made to buildings constructed in the Gothic style. One of the key modifications involved enlarging the openings of the nave, the central part of a church or cathedral. These openings, originally narrow and pointed in keeping with the Gothic tradition, were expanded into wider, semi-circular bays. This shift was in response to the evolving architectural tastes of the time, which favored more classical, Baroque forms over the verticality and pointed arches of Gothic design.
The transformation involved not only altering the shape of the windows but also their overall proportions. The once-tall, narrow, and often intricately detailed Gothic windows, which typically featured pointed arches and stained glass, were replaced or modified. As a result, the once-dominant Gothic windows largely disappeared, giving way to simpler, more rounded and wider windows, which reflected the broader, more harmonious aesthetic of the Baroque style.
This change also had an impact on the interior lighting and atmosphere of these buildings, as the new, larger windows allowed more natural light to flood the interior, contributing to the grand, spacious feel characteristic of Baroque and early Classical architecture. The shift from Gothic to Baroque in this period marked a significant departure from medieval traditions, signaling a new era in both architectural design and cultural preferences.
Renovation of the Bell Tower
The bell tower, severely damaged by a fire in 1940, was meticulously reconstructed to restore it to its original form. The renovation aimed to preserve the historical integrity of the structure, ensuring that the rebuilt tower closely mirrored its pre-fire design.
The tower features two superimposed lanterns, a hallmark of Baroque architecture. These lanterns, located near the top of the tower, house the bells and add to its aesthetic appeal. The lower lantern is larger, providing a solid base for the smaller upper lantern. Both are richly detailed with Baroque ornamentation, including curved lines, decorative moldings, and sculptural elements.
At the very top of the tower sits an imposing globe, a common feature in Baroque towers. The globe, symbolizing the world and divine order, crowns the lanterns and enhances the tower’s grandeur. Its striking presence draws the eye upward, reinforcing the tower’s spiritual and civic significance.
Through its careful restoration, the bell tower retained its architectural character and continues to serve as both a functional bell tower and an important historical landmark.
Architecture of the Basilica of Our Lady of Gray, France
Architectural Style: Romanesque Architecture style
Forty metres long and twenty metres high, the basilica has a Latin cross plan with three naves. The ribbed vaults decorated with liernes and tiercerons are supported by octagonal pillars without capitals, which gives it a beautiful elevation. The initial project probably consisted of four bays with a quadripartite vault .
The departure of the ribs of the first bay from the transept shows the traces of the change of program 11. The three bays of the nave are backed on either side by six side chapels which overlook the side aisles.
The Choir
Featuring a five-sided polygonal Gothic apse, the choir was completed before 1484. The central glass window, fifteen metres high, has retained its original tracery which depicts a Tree of Jesse . This jewel of flamboyant Gothic sculpture is linked to the sculptor Conrad Meit and the contemporary construction site of the royal monastery of Brou .
In 1697, Jean-François Jobelot commissioned Jean Ligier to create an imposing altarpiece in gilded wood. Its completion in 1718 involved the walling up of the lower part of the old windows. An Assumption of Mary by the Leuven painter Lambert Blendeff adorns the centre of the altarpiece. The altarpiece was first amputated from its upper part and then completely removed in 1927 Note 1 . TheAugust 12, 1950 Georges Béjot consecrated a new altar which took its place in the choir at the foot of the stained glass windows restored in 1849. In 1996 a second altar was installed in the choir.
The Organ
The carved oak case of the organ was built in 1728 by Claude Valentin, who was unable to complete the construction of the instrumental part, which was completed by Charles-Joseph Riepp in 1759. In 1827, Joseph Callinet rebuilt the instrumental part in Claude Valentin’s case. A major restoration of the organ was carried out by Jean-François Muno in 1993. The case of the Grand Organ reveals 61 façade pipes and the Positif case , 29 façade pipes. The instrument has 37 stops spread over 3 keyboards and a pedal board, for a total of 2227 pipes.
The Western Portal
Financial problems, and even more personal ones, with Antoine Le Rupt led to the interruption of the work in1534while the church portal had only just begun. The work accomplished by Le Rupt a few years earlier in Auxonne gives an idea of what could have been envisaged for the church of Gray. The western facade remained unfinished until1857when the Besançon architect Victor Baille was commissioned to develop a new project 12 which was accepted two years later. The Graylois sculptor Constant Grandgirard was then commissioned to1863to execute the sculptures of the neo-Gothic portal composed of three arches.
The Bell Tower
The spire of the first bell tower, covered in tin and decorated with several pinnacles, was destroyed in a fire in 1610. The engineer Pierre Poivre directed the reconstruction of the bell tower.1611has1613. It is this bell tower which is represented by the painter Adam François van der Meulen to immortalize the capture of the city by the Duke of Navailles onFebruary 28, 1674. In1725A violent storm once again destroyed the bell tower, which was then rebuilt according to a simpler model. The spire gave way to a lantern topped with a simple bell tower designed by the architect Pierre Simon Sauvaget. Apart from the disappearance of the clock face during its reconstruction after the Second World War , its silhouette has not changed to this day.
Feast Day
Feast day: 30 July
Basilica of Our Lady of Gray, France, is dedicated to Our Lady of Gray. Her feast day is celebrated on July 30, every year.
Church Mass Timing
Yet to Update
Church Opening Time:
Monday : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Contact Info
Address :
5001F Pl. de la Sous-Préfecture, 70100 Gray, France.
Phone : +33384652230.
Accommodations
Connectivities
Airway
Aerodrome de Gray St Adrian Airport to the Basilica of Our Lady of Gray, France distance between 7 min (4.1 km) via D67.
Railway
Gare de Gray Railway Station to the Church of the Basilica of Our Lady of Gray, France distance between 4 min (1.8 km) via Chem. Neuf/D475.
