If you're taking a stroll around the charming little Île Saint-Louis in the 4th arrondissement, make sure you stop off at theEglise-Saint-Louis-en-l'Île. Impossible to miss, it covers a large part of the island!
Construction of this edifice dedicated to Saint Louis was decided in 1622, but didn't begin until 1664, based on plans by François Le Vau (whose brother Louis is famous for having designed the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte and the Château de Versailles). After Le Vau's death, Gabriel Le Duc, Pierre Bullet and then Jacques Doucet continued the work, which was completed in 1726.
During your visit, you'll notice that the west facade of the church is completely blind, due to existing buildings at the time of construction. Also of note is the beautiful 30-metre-high bell tower, remarkable for its narrow, openwork shape, designed to keep out the wind that sometimes blows hard on the Île Saint-Louis. Today's bell tower houses an astonishing iron clock, which hangs perpendicular to the street.
While the exterior and interior of theEglise Saint-Louis-en-L' Île were deliberately unadorned at the outset, its style was overworked in the 18th and 19th centuries to transform it into a Baroque church, similar to theJesuit church of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis featured here.
The interior is breathtakingly beautiful: woodwork, sculptures, a wealth of gilding, stucco and marble, murals and numerous works of art are all there for you to discover once you cross the threshold.
During the French Revolution, the statue of the Virgin and Child and the statue of Sainte-Geneviève were respectively transformed into the Goddess of Liberty and the Goddess of Reason, saving them from destruction. They can still be seen today!
And for classical music lovers, theEglise Saint-Louis-en-l'Île regularly organizes concerts.
A luxurious church worth its weight in gold!
Dates and Opening Time
Starts October 13, 2024
Location
Saint-Louis-en-l'Île Church
Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île
75004 Paris 4
Prices
Free
Official website
www.saintlouisenlile.catholique.fr