Flash tours (10-20 min) or free tours of Saint-Eloi Church, it’s up to you!

Event proposed by the Department of Pas-de-Calais, in coordination with the municipality of Villers-sir-Simon. Partnership with the association Eglises Ouvertes Nord de France.
The foundations of the church Saint-Eloi date back to the Middle Ages, the building then consists of a western gable crowned with a campenard (bell tower-wall), and a simple nave. A first phase of modification in the 18th century led to the widening of the nave and the choir. A second phase in the 19th century led to the construction of the bell tower spire and a sacristy.
The overall interior and exterior restoration of this building is carried out under the mastery of the heritage architect Hugues Dewerdt. It was created in 2015 to preserve this rural religious heritage.
During the restoration work several discoveries allow to understand the history of the building: a blue stone embedded in the facade wall attests to the foundation of the church at the beginning of the 15th century, a 17th century wooden Christ is found during the construction site or the traces of polychrome revealed in the choir, witnesses of the richness of the interior decoration in the 15th-16th centuries.
A restoration operation of all the protected furniture is also conducted by the municipality in 2019 and 2020, this mission is entrusted to the workshop "Cherry-conservation, restoration of sculpted works».
This festive day, celebrating the end of restoration operations, will be punctuated with visits, demonstrations of know-how and music.