Saint-Nabord: Church and floodplain landscape

Saint-Nabord offers two distinct starting points for planning your trip: the architectural and decorative history of the Eglise Saint-Nabord and the landscapes of the Aube Valley. The church brings together architectural elements and works of art from different centuries. The landscape features floodplain forests, meadows and cultivated fields; the Route de la Craie 3 also highlights the architectural heritage built from chalk. If you are looking for a hotel in Saint-Nabord, these themes can help you choose how to explore the town based on your interests.

Church and works of art

Construction of the Eglise Saint-Nabord began in 1841 on the site of an earlier church. Part of the 16th-century nave has been preserved. The building’s history therefore brings together two periods: the start of construction in the 19th century and an older section of the nave. For those interested in culture, the church can be understood both through the period in which it was built and through the surviving architectural element.

The floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross. The church comprises a single nave, a symmetrical transept and a five-sided apse. These features give a clear sense of its architectural layout: the nave, transept and apse are the defining elements of the floor plan.

A collection of figurative stained-glass windows from the late 19th century complements the architecture. One of the windows is dated 1892 and was made by stained-glass artist Georges Claudius Lavergne. The windows in the choir depict the life of Jesus, from his birth to his resurrection. By contrast, windows in the right-hand side aisle depict the Annunciation to Mary and the Visitation. The extensive sequence in the choir thus differs from the two individual scenes in the side aisle.

Other works of art add different points of interest. The high altar was created in 1900 by Jules Cathelin, a sculptor from Troyes. A polychrome wooden statue depicts Saint Nabord as a soldier. There is also a crowned limestone statue of the Virgin and Child from the early 17th century. A bronze statuette is known as the Infant Jesus of Prague. Together, the furnishings include figurative depictions, religious subjects and works made from different materials and periods.

The Aube Valley and the hiking route

The ZNIEFF Type I site “Prairies, bois et gravières de la vallée de l'Aube à Torcy-le-Petit,” updated on June 11, 2024, includes Saint-Nabord-sur-Aube. It describes floodplain forests and stands of poplars with tall herbs, as well as flooded, mown or grazed meadows and some cultivated fields. The description therefore covers woodland, grassland under different types of use and fields. This diversity offers a different way to explore the area from the church’s architectural history.

Saint-Nabord-sur-Aube is also one of the municipalities along the tourist Route de la Craie 3. The route passes through several municipalities in the Aube department and highlights the architectural heritage built from chalk and the characteristic landscapes of the Aube Valley. It is designated as a hiking route. A route description updated on May 8, 2025, gives 39 Rue Principale, 10700 Saint-Nabord-sur-Aube, as the starting point. If you are planning to hike, check the route information in advance.

These offer different points of interest to choose from: the church provides concrete points of interest for architecture and art enthusiasts, while the route and landscape description focus on the Aube Valley and hiking. Which aspect makes Saint-Nabord especially interesting to you may shape your decision to stay.

Discover more destinations: Mesnil-Sellières, Voué, Villechétif, Macey, Marnay-sur-Seine, Saint-Thibault, Montgueux, Rosières-Près-Troyes.

For the broader travel overview: Aube.