Église de l'Annonciation de Haute-Isle, Troglodyte church in Haute-Isle, France
The Annunciation Church is a place of worship built partly into the chalk cliff along the Seine River, with a stone bell tower rising above ground. The main worship space tunnels into the rock face, creating an unusual setting where the building merges with the natural landscape.
Nicolas Dongois started building this underground church around 1670 and finished the work in the early 1670s. The construction happened after Haute-Isle became independent from the neighboring parish, leading to the need for a separate religious building.
Inside, you can see a wooden altarpiece and a screen from the 17th century that separate the main church area from the choir section. These carved pieces reflect the craftsmanship of religious artisans who worked in the region during that era.
You enter through the stone tower at ground level and descend into the underground chapel space. The building hosts regular religious services and remains open for visitors to explore, though it has undergone structural repairs in recent years.
This is one of only five troglodyte churches in all of France and the only one in the Île-de-France region. The fact that an entire place of worship was carved into the rock makes it a remarkable example of how builders adapted structures to the landscape.
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