G

Eglise Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais

We discovered this church on the day we attended Easter mass at Notre Dame and walked home to Belleville. Later, when we had been inside it we discovered that we knew about it in 1999.

Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais Facade

Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais Window

Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais Pieta

The first church on the site of the current Saint-Gervais Saint-Protais is said to date to the 6th century, i.e. among the earliest churches in Christian France. It was destroyed by the Normans at the end of the 9th century. It was rebuilt inside of Phillippe Auguste's new city walls. In the 14th century a much larger church replace the Phillippe Auguste church. The current definite shape of the church was achieved in 1616-1621 with the construction of the "modern" portals.

Saint-Gervais Saint Protais is just two blocks to the east of the Hotel de Ville and two block south of rue Francois Miron, one of the oldest streets in Paris. We visited the church the same day that we toured the 19th century Hotel de Ville.

Saint-Paul Saint-Louis Interior

Louis XIII himself set the first stone of what was the church of Saint-Louis in 1627; it was consecrated in 1641. It was built for the Jesuits, who at that time had a large compound here, mostly become two lycees, one for boys and one for girls. The Jesuits lost their property during the revolution the church was closed. In re-opened in 1802 and at that added the name Saint-Paul in memory of the nearby church of Saint-Paul that was destroyed in 1799.

Saint-Paul Saint-Louis Facade

Saint-Paul Saint-Louis Dome Interior

Gold altar decoration

Saint-Paul Saint-Louis is located on rue de Rivoli west of the Bastille and south of the Place des Vosges. Its portal does not reflect the richness inside.

Eglise de la Sainte Trinite

St. Trinite Steps and Statues

Sainte Trinite Interior

In early spring we were on a walk from Gare St. Lazard to Gare du Nord when we discovered this church. At that moment it was partially hidden behind a delightful group of flowering cherry trees. Naturally we went in — and were even more delighted by the sense of space, light, and art. While we love Notre Dame, the light in this church was such a refreshing change. We often went by the church on our most frequent bus, number 26, but never stopped again.

The Second Empire (Louis Napoleon) Church of the Holy Trinity was built between 1861 and 1867. The facade has three porches overwhich there is a large rose window. The statues above the porches are symbolic, including one representing Temperance.

The church was built to terminate the view up the Chaussee-d'Antin. Before the 15th century this was the site of the tiny village of Parcherons. Before the 18th century this was outside the walls of Paris (demolished in 1870).