Ever wonder why Notre-Dame-des-Champs is named “Our Lady of the Fields” despite being in the heart of Paris? It is a fascinating question that we will explore today. Welcome to Chapelle Notre-Dame-des-Champs.
This Catholic church is located on Boulevard du Montparnasse. It stands on the southern edge of Paris’s 6th arrondissement. Notre-Dame-des-Champs is named after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Specifically, it honors her under the title of Our Lady of the Fields. The church’s story is interwoven with Parisian history.
The site’s history stretches back to Roman times. Originally, a temple dedicated to Mercury stood here. After France’s conversion to Christianity, the temple was rededicated. It became a church honoring the Virgin Mary. At that time, it was named Notre-Dame-des-Vignes because the area was surrounded by vineyards.
King Robert II expanded the church. He rededicated it to both the Virgin Mary and Saint Denis. Later, Benedictine monks from Marmoutier Abbey transformed it into a priory. They renamed it Notre-Dame-des-Champs. This honored Our Lady of the Fields after they tore out the surrounding vines.
In 1604, the Benedictines ceded the priory. Princess Catherine Gonzaga, Duchess of Orleans-Longueville, installed Carmelites from Spain here. Louise de La Vallière and Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan, both retired from the French court to this convent. They entered religious life within these walls.
The French Revolution brought upheaval. The convent was closed and the church was destroyed. However, the Carmelite Order bought back a portion of the estate in 1802. They built a small chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame-des-Champs. A new cloister and living quarters were added. The order eventually left in 1906.
As the neighborhood grew, a temporary wooden chapel was built in 1858. This served as a parish church. The current structure began construction in 1867. Architects Paul-René-Léon Ginain, Eugène Bonté, and Léon Ginain designed it. Gustave Eiffel designed the iron framework.
Eiffel’s iron framework was groundbreaking. It predated his work on the Eiffel Tower by twenty years. This design allowed for greater height. It also reduced the need for supporting columns, and allowed larger windows.
The Franco-Prussian War interrupted construction in 1870. The completed church was blessed on October 31 1876. Archbishop Léon-Adolphe Amette of Paris consecrated it on March 25 1912.
The exterior design draws inspiration from Romanesque architecture. Classical columns and decorations adorn the building. Above the central portal, a tympanum displays a bas-relief. Gabriel-Jules Thomas sculpted it in 1863. It depicts the Virgin Mary and the Infant Christ.
Inside, Eiffel’s iron frame allowed for a higher and more spacious interior. Rows of cruciform pillars support rounded arches. Ionic capitals decorate the columns. Large windows fill the nave and choir with light.
Joseph Aubert created twenty-two paintings. They depict the life of the Virgin Mary. These paintings are above the galleries in the nave and choir. Aubert dedicated twenty-six years to this series. He even traveled to Palestine to study the costumes and daily life of women. Additionally, fourteen grisaille paintings depict scenes from the Way of the Cross. Frédéric de Courcy created these on enamelled copper.
The Chapels contain colorful stained-glass windows. They show scenes from the Christian church’s history in Paris. The Chapel of the Virgin depicts Saint Denis visiting the Virgin.
The church’s organ sits above the entrance to the nave. Cavaillé-Coll built it in 1877. It was restored in 1973 and again in 2004.
Notre-Dame-des-Champs carries layers of history. From Roman temple to modern church. It embodies Paris’s evolving religious and architectural landscape. Take a moment to appreciate its blend of Romanesque inspiration and Eiffel’s innovative engineering.