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Eglise Saint-Vincent-de-Paul

Renaissance ,  Church ,  Historic site and monument in Blois
Free
  • The Saint Vincent de Paul church is the former Saint Louis church of the Jesuits. Located in the center of Blois, opposite the château, it was built in the 17th century to plans drawn up by two architects from the Society of Jesus. Its architecture conforms to the criteria laid down by the Catholic counter-reformation.

    The building's slow construction was completed thanks to donations from Gaston d'Orléans. Devastated during the French Revolution, it was returned to worship in 1828 and...
    The Saint Vincent de Paul church is the former Saint Louis church of the Jesuits. Located in the center of Blois, opposite the château, it was built in the 17th century to plans drawn up by two architects from the Society of Jesus. Its architecture conforms to the criteria laid down by the Catholic counter-reformation.

    The building's slow construction was completed thanks to donations from Gaston d'Orléans. Devastated during the French Revolution, it was returned to worship in 1828 and restored by Jules de la Morandière in 1847. The façade is typical of Jesuit churches, with three Doric and Corinthian tiers linked by wide volutes. Another remarkable feature is that the façade faces south-east.

    The interior features 19th-century painted decoration, a five-sided apse, a sculpted altarpiece with red marble columns (1670) and two memorials erected by Gaston d'Orléans' daughter in honor of her father (1677). One of the statues is a profane representation of a young lady of the period, the other an allegory of Piety in prayer.

    In 1793, the urn protecting Gaston d'Orléans' heart was broken and the benefactor's heart thrown away. Sadly, the Revolution caused further destruction, including the side chapels, a marble mosaic floor, the choir screen and the magnificent marble tomb of a Polish princess. Only two bas-reliefs were salvaged from the tomb, which now adorn a chapel in the cathedral.

    - Open daily (9 a.m.-6 p.m.). Free admission.
  • Rates
  • Free
Openings
Openings
  • All year 2024
  • All year 2025