Rue de la Fontaine Saint-Christophe

“A church built with the methods of the 13th century but the materials of the 20th century.” That’s one way to describe the Église Saint-Christophe-de-Javel, located on Rue Saint-Christophe. This street, nestled in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, takes its name from this very church. Rue Saint-Christophe isn’t long, but its story, like that of the church, is deeply intertwined with the industrial transformation of the Javel neighborhood. The area, once known for producing Eau de Javel (bleach), became a hub for automobile manufacturing, particularly Citroën. The original church couldn’t handle the population boom. So, between 1926 and 1930, a new church arose. It was dedicated to Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, a fitting tribute to the area’s new industry. Architect Charles-Henri Besnard, a follower of Viollet-le-Duc, designed the Église Saint-Christophe-de-Javel. He envisioned a Gothic-style church built with modern reinforced concrete. Imagine prefabricated concrete columns, grills, and other elements, molded offsite and assembled like a giant puzzle. This innovative technique allowed construction to continue through winter, unlike traditional methods. Ironically, this innovation didn’t save money. Hoisting and installing the delicate pieces proved more costly. Inside the church, the concrete mimics the slender columns of a 13th-century Gothic cathedral. Frescoes and stained glass adorn the interior. Artist Henri-Marcel Magne’s work over the choir depicts Saint Christopher amid workers and modern transport: bicycles, cars, and locomotives, a testament to Javel’s identity. In 1975, Rue Saint-Christophe and its remarkable church, the Église Saint-Christophe-de-Javel, earned landmark status, a tribute to the area’s unique blend of history and innovation. The street and its church stand as a symbol of the evolving Paris, where the past and the present meet in concrete and glass.