To visit the interesting church of St. Didier (hist. mon.) climb the rather steep Rue Casimar-Bonjour (accessible to motor-cars), to the terrace on which stands the church. Very fine view.
The Church of St. Didier dates from the 16th century. The date of the choir (1530) is carved on the keystone of the vaulting. The three naves and main portal were added in 1596. However, the building as a whole is pointed-flamboyant in style, the ogive being preserved in the arches, vaultings and transept. The Renaissance style appears only in the decoration of the capitals, the consoles in the interior, and the doors. The western façade is late Renaissance, and must have been completed about the beginning of the 17th century. Its two arched portals retain their old wooden folding-doors ornamented with rose-headed nails. Above, in a niche surmounted by a fine rose-window is a modern statue. On the south an ancient corner turret was rebuilt in 1728. The façade bears the escutcheon and crowned monogram of Henri de Lorraine, Duke of Bar.
CLERMONT-EN-ARGONNE. OLD WOMAN CONTEMPLATING THE RUINS OF HER HOUSE, RUE CASIMIR-BONJOUR, NEAR CHURCH
The interior of the choir is imposing. The apse is six-sided—rather an uncommon arrangement.
In the “Chapelle des Morts,” which opens off the northern nave, near the transept, there is a Renaissance tomb with a remarkable bas-relief; below is depicted a nude body lying in a grave, being devoured by worms; above, three successive panels represent the Weighing of Souls, the Mirror of Death, and Purgatory. Each subject is accompanied by an inscription in French verse carved in fine black Gothic characters. There are few sculptural representations of Purgatory earlier than the 16th century, and this is one of the earliest examples to be found.
The Presbytery.—The Presbytery, standing in a narrow street which runs along the south side of the church, is an old wooden building, the interior of which is in a perfect state of preservation. In it is kept an earthenware model dating from 1530, which was brought from the Chapel of St. Anne. This model, attributed to Ligier Richier, represents the Virgin receiving the body of Christ after it had been taken down from the Cross. It has been imperfectly restored and painted.