Église Notre-Dame, Medieval church in Béhuard, France

Notre-Dame church is built on a rock at the centre of Béhuard, with two naves set at right angles. The rock is visible inside the building, and a statue of the Virgin and Child stands to its north, placed in 1907. The flat-chevet choir follows the Angevin tradition and opens onto an old projecting sacristy, a remnant of the Romanesque sanctuary.

King Louis XI ordered the construction in 1469 after surviving a near-death accident in the Loire River waters. The building then developed over centuries as worshippers added and modified its structure.

The island's Marian cult began in 437, when Bishop Maurille of Angers placed a statue of the Virgin on the rock, replacing a pagan water idol; the island was then called Île Marie. A Virgin and Child statue was set north of the rock in 1907. Inside, the mezzanine holds 15th-century stalls and a 1911 organ by Nantes builder Louis Debierre.

Access to the church happens through a staircase that leads to the newer nave section. The space remains active for religious services throughout the year, so visiting times may change based on ceremonies.

The church's interior displays natural rock walls that are part of the island's original stone formation. This blend of nature and construction makes it an unusual example of how medieval builders worked with their environment.