Chalandry-Elaire: Saint-Gonthier Church and Ballastières

Chalandry-Elaire can be explored through two distinct points of interest: the architecture and furnishings of Saint-Gonthier Church, and the Ballastières site, which is part of the Ecopôle des Ardennes project. The church offers a focus on architectural forms, construction periods and sacred art, while the Ecopôle is a larger area intended for outdoor recreation. When planning your trip, you can therefore weigh up whether to focus mainly on church architecture and furnishings or include outdoor activities.

Saint-Gonthier Church: building history and furnishings

Saint-Gonthier Church has a single-nave hall, a choir with a flat end, and a three-sided apse. A single-nave hall has one nave; the flat-ended choir and three-sided apse describe the end of the church interior. The choir probably dates from the 13th or 14th century Gothic period. The nave was added in two construction phases in the 17th and 18th centuries. The building history thus reflects different periods: the choir is probably Gothic, while the nave was added in two later centuries. The architectural forms and dates offer two ways to look at the church: its spatial layout and its development across several periods.

The choir contains the reliquary bust, or reliquary shrine, of Saint Gonthier. The ensemble of high altar, tabernacle and retable is also in the church. It is made of carved, polychrome-painted limestone, veined marble, black marble and carved wood. The combination of different types of stone and wood makes the ensemble’s choice of materials easy to appreciate; the polychrome painting refers to the limestone’s multicoloured finish. For travellers interested in sacred art, this offers another perspective alongside the architecture: the church’s furnishings can also be considered in terms of their components and materials.

Ballastières: a site spanning several municipalities

The Ecopôle des Ardennes project is located on the 74-hectare Ballastières site, equivalent to 0.74 square kilometres. The area extends across Les Ayvelles, Chalandry-Elaire and Lumes. The project therefore covers a site spanning several municipalities, setting it apart from a single building such as Saint-Gonthier Church.

The project envisages outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, horseback riding and cycling. The municipal rules published in June 2025 allowed walkers, cyclists and anglers to access the entire Ballastières site. Check the access rules currently in force before your visit. The project’s stated intentions and the dated access information are relevant to different planning questions: one describes planned recreational uses, while the other concerns access under the rules published in June 2025.

The difference is clear when choosing a travel theme: the church brings together architectural history and sacred furnishings in a single building, while the Ballastières is a site spanning several municipalities with planned outdoor recreation. This lets you weigh cultural interests and outdoor plans separately.

Discover more destinations: Liart, Savigny-Sur-Aisne, Tournavaux, Glaire, Boult-Aux-Bois, Fumay, Monthermé, Tailly.

For the broader travel overview: Ardennes.