Church of Notre-Dame

Notre-Dame in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne is a Gothic church with a lofty central nave and considerable length, pierced throughout by numerous windows. The interior is flooded with light from these openings and displays typical Gothic features with slender columns and soaring arches.

The church was founded in the late 12th century and grew over generations as craftspeople added new structures and embellishments. This extended building period allowed different styles and techniques to blend within the walls.

The stained glass windows tell stories across different centuries, with older panes showing religious scenes and later additions depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. Visitors can observe how these visual narratives served as teaching tools for people who could not read.

The interior is accessible and offers plenty of space to explore, with numerous windows making the visit rewarding at any time of day. It is best to visit during sunny weather to fully appreciate the colored windows.

In one of the window scenes depicting the Last Judgment, a figure wears an early form of spectacles, one of the oldest known depictions of this object in European art. This small detail reveals how everyday objects found their way into religious artworks.