Église Notre-Dame du Val-d'Ajol, Heritage listed church in Le Val-d'Ajol, France.
Église Notre-Dame du Val-d'Ajol has a nave, choir and south sacristy of dressed stone, while the north sacristy is rendered rubble with a harped corner chain. Sandstone slabs called "laves" locally cover the long-pitched nave roof and the polygonal-hipped choir. The covered porch and south sacristy have lean-to roofs; the north sacristy has a lean-to with a half-hip. The tower carries a clock with Roman numerals and a steep dark slate spire.
Built from 1554 to replace the ruined church at the hamlet of La Croix, 600 m away, it rose in four phases: the choir first, then three bays, four more bays around 1620, and the bell tower and porch in 1734-1735. A planned full rebuilding in 1902 by the Langres architect Méot was never carried out. It was listed as a monument historique on 16 February 1926.
The church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption and replaced a ruined church 600 m away in the hamlet of La Croix. Its five bells counted at the Revolution were not kept; after later changes four bells hang in the tower, electrified in 1935. The covered porch is vaulted in plastered fir.
The building is normally open for visitors, with the best times to enter being outside regular service hours. If you want to learn more about the architecture and history, you can inquire ahead of your visit about local guides or information sheets.
The roof of the nave and choir is covered with sandstone slabs called "laves" locally, not with slate or tile. The covered porch has a vault of plastered fir. Of the five bells recorded at the Revolution, none survive; the ringing was electrified in 1935.
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