Poitiers - Notre-Dame la Grande

Notre-Dame la Grande, a former collegiate church, was completed within the 11th century.

The church replaced an older one, known since the 9th century. It got enlarged by two spans (and a fantastic facade) within the first half of the 12th century, but the largest part of the nave is 11th century.

Here is a statue of the Virgin, holding the keys of the town. This statue was carved end of the 16th century, and tradition says that this is a copy of the miraculous statue, destroyed by the Huguenots in 1562.

The story behind is, that in year 1202, the English besieged Poitiers. The mayor's clerk made a deal with the English and promised to deliver the city´s keys to them in exchange for a large sum of money. When the clerk tried to steal the keys at night time, they had disappeared. The mayor as well realized that the keys had disappeared. He was alarmed, fearing treason, and went to the church to request a miracle. There he discovered the statue of the Virgin hold the keys. Soon after the English troops fled, frightened by the appearances of the Virgin, Saint Hilary and Saint Radegunda.

The legend may not be very precise, as in 1202, Poitou formed a part of the English duchy of Aquitaine, under the reigns of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.