Branches | Auxerre and Auxerrois Tourist Office

Branches is first mentioned in the Gestes des évêques d’Auxerre in 621. Bringa is a territory given by the bishop of Auxerre, Didier (604-623), to the Saint-Germain abbey. A peaceful commune surrounded by forest, it is home to several emblematic buildings.

Like many rural villages in the Yonne, Branches was coveted for its fertile land, with thriving vineyards, cereal fields and abundant oak forests. In the Middle Ages, the region’s various monastic orders ruled over this small, formerly wine-growing village. In the 7th century, the bishopric of Auxerre donated the lands of Branches to the abbey of Saint-Germain. It is noted that Bringa belonged to the diocese of Sens and that the outbuildings, vineyards and woods now belong to Auxerre Abbey.

During the 12th century, around 1144, the wooded lands of Branches fell into the Cluniac fold of the Nivernais priory of La Charité sur Loire. The forestry value of this territory attracted a great deal of interest, and in the 13th century, the bishop of Auxerre, Guillaume de Seignelay, took over Branches. The products of the land worked by the peasants were used, among other things, to feed the monks or canons of the church to which they belonged. Taxes in kind and in coin were also paid to the lord of the land. In exchange, the lord and the religious congregations had to provide the fief’s inhabitants with security, abundant food and water, plus spiritual elevation for the religious.

Today, Branches is still a rural commune surrounded by fields and woods, but is no longer classified as a wine-growing village. Arable farmland predominates, and less dense woodland still surrounds the village. Branches also has a Natura 2000 zone, which aims to preserve protected species and conserve environments while taking into account human activities.

©Carte Postale De La Pierre Saint Martin Collection Particuliere

©Le Chateau De Branches Avant 1931 Ad89 2 Fi 1575

Saint-Martin church

The Church of Saint-Martin de Branches is one of the oldest pre-Romanesque churches in the Auxerrois region. The village’s lands passed from one seigneurial authority to another, and religious congregations followed one another. In 1220, Guillaume de Seignelay, bishop of Auxerre, established a priory in Branches, attached to the Grand-Saint-Bernard de Montjoux abbey. The priory remained in operation until the French Revolution.

Architecturally, Saint-Martin church dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. The plan of the current building is very classical for the region, with a single nave ending in a flat chevet. The present nave was built in the 15th century, with regular alterations throughout the Renaissance. In the 18th century, the church tower was rebuilt and the church was again remodeled.

©Statue De Saint Martin Du 17e Siecle Commune De Branches

The decorations in the church at Branches

Saint Martin is known as the Apostle of the Gauls, a former Roman soldier. Martin was forced into the army at the age of 20 and was garrisoned in Amiens in 357. He is known for giving half his coat to a poor man in the middle of winter. Jesus thanked him in a dream, announcing that he had saved the man. He became a monk and ended his life as bishop of Tours. A 14th-century statue of him stands on the altar of the church in Branches. Very popular in the Yonne region, this name is also widespread in churches and chapels in the Auxerrois region, such as the collegiate church in Chablis, which received the saint’s relics during the Carolingian period.

What makes the church at Branches exceptional, and ranks it among the most valuable churches in France, are its medieval wall frescoes. In fact, when a layer of whitewash fell from the walls in 1939, an early mural painting was revealed. The whole complex was classified as a Monument Historique in 1973. More in-depth surveys were carried out in 1985, revealing a complete iconographic program dating from the late Middle Ages. The church was found to have been entirely painted, but unfortunately only a few isolated paintings remain today. The paintings have been dated to the 13th, 14th and 16th centuries. In 2005, a vast campaign to restore the paintings began, and four major decorative programs were uncovered, sometimes superimposed in layers.

The Procession fresco

This remarkable fresco is 9m50 long. The fresco depicts 32 lay figures dressed in ochre, yellow and red tunics, advancing in procession. The figures hold lit candles in their clasped hands. The scene could illustrate a celebration in honor of Saint-Martin, the church’s patron saint. The decoration is adorned with stars and flowers. These details add a celestial and symbolic dimension to the whole. A bearded figure leads the procession, facing a horseman in armor, holding a sword on his right shoulder. This may be Saint Martin, who is honored by the locals in procession. This episode is one of only four depictions of lay people in murals in Burgundy churches, alongside those of Alluy (Nièvre), Moutiers-en-Puisaye and Saints (Puisaye).

A 16th-century painted panel shows Saint-Hubert above Banc d’Œuvre, on the south side of the church. The figure is kneeling in prayer before a stag on the left side of the panel. Saint-Hubert is dressed in black and wearing a nimbus, his face very precise, could correspond to that of the donor. On the right-hand side of the panel, there are two figures holding a shield with a coat of arms.

©Reinterpretation Dune Partie De La Procession Par Anastasia Maymou Rotated

The decorations are divided into three registers on the north wall. The upper panel forms a historiated frieze. The second panel in the center is fragmented and the central panel shows several details. There is a monument with two crowned royal figures, facing a Saint on horseback. There is also a battle between horsemen, with a man’s head pierced by a sword. A medallion in the lower register depicts two crosses facing east, carried by two apostles. One of the apostles, the one with the sword on his right shoulder, is Saint Barthelemy.

There’s also a painting at the entrance to the choir, showing a knight in armor wearing a helmet from the late 13th century. This figure holds a silver shield adorned with a red cross, possibly the cross of St. George. The horse in the painting is also wearing Saint-Georges’ caparison.

The Saint-Martin stone

©Charbuy Pierre Saint Martin Man With His Dog

La pierre Saint-Martin

La pierre Saint-Martin is located in the middle of heather, opposite the Auxerre-Branches airfield. It is a spatial marker between the communes of Appoigny, Perrigny, Charbuy and Branches. The monolith is an imposing block of ferruginous sandstone, emerging from the ground and named “Pierre de Saint-Martin”.

The stone, which marks the junction of four communes at a place called Les Bries, was undoubtedly shaped by the hand of man. The monolith’s name seems to be directly linked to the Gallo-Roman saint Martin, the former Roman soldier who became a pilgrim missionary, devoting his life to the spread of Christianity. Places marked by the passage of Saint-Martin are often named after him. This stone may symbolize a place where Saint-Martin passed through, but is probably more a much older Celtic relic associated with the Druids and paganism. Specialists in Celtic culture believe that it is not in its original location, and may have been part of a larger alignment (like Carnac) or assemblage (Stonehenge).

The origins and use of this stone remain a mystery, although the most likely hypothesis is that it was probably linked to ritual practices associated with megaliths, and probably not in its original location. Megaliths are monuments of rough stone, fashioned by the Celts around 4500 BC.

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