Société de l'histoire du protestantisme français
Abstract
For a long time not has been known of Protestantism in Northern France in the 18th Century, especially in the synodal provinces of Orléanais-Berry and the Ile-de-France-Champagne-Picardie. Some recent studies show that despite a very large diversity in the local situations as well as in their socio-professional composition, the churches of these areas presented numerous common points linked to their particular situation. They are distinguished first of all by their great geographical scattering as well as by their very small numerical importance. Subjected to a strong pressure from the authorities and the Catholic Church in the last years of the Edict of Nantes, the Protestant communities resisted however to attacks to a large extent. The revocation and the dragonnades do caused massive abjurations and departures, but did not lead to the disappearing of Protestantism which survived in several places until the end of the Ancien Régime
