Did you know that the site of the Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné held a church as early as the sixth century? Imagine that. Right here where we stand once stood a structure dedicated to the martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. This is the site of the Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné a church with a truly remarkable and surprisingly complex history.
The Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné wasn’t always known by this name. Its original dedication was to Sergius and Bacchus. Over time however the church’s name shifted to Saint Benedict. This is partially due to a legend. It claims that Saint Denis the patron saint of Paris carried his own severed head to this very spot. He blessed the site and dedicated it to “Benoît Sire Dieu”. This eventually evolved into the name we recognize today.
But the story doesn’t end there. The Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné earned its unique moniker “le Bétourné” meaning “the turned one”. This was due to a rather significant architectural blunder. Its choir was mistakenly built on the west side instead of the east. This was a major departure from the traditional East-West orientation of churches. The error was so egregious that it became a defining characteristic of the church.
In the 16th century King Francis I corrected this architectural mishap. He ensured that the Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné was rebuilt with the correct orientation. However the church still retained its quirky nickname. It even gained a new nickname “le Bistourné” meaning “the twice-turned”. This highlights both the original mistake and the subsequent correction.
The Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné wasn’t just a place of worship. It had a public market in its cloister during the reign of Louis IX. This market generated income for the canons of Notre Dame de Paris. The cloister’s large barns stored grain and wine paid as taxes to the canons. It was a vibrant center of community life.
Throughout the ages the church housed important figures and played host to significant events. Guillaume de Villon was a chaplain there. He was also the tutor of the famous French poet François Villon. The renowned author Charles Perrault was even buried in this very church. In the Middle Ages it was also a site of devotion to Saint Mathurin the patron saint of the mentally ill. Many sought healing at his altar within the Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné.
Sadly this fascinating church was demolished in 1831. It was replaced by the Théâtre du Panthéon which was itself demolished just a few decades later. The area was then transformed into what you see today. Rue des Écoles was built on its grounds. Today however we can still remember this church’s rich and complex past. It remains a fascinating and important piece of Paris’s history. The Église Saint-Benoît-le-Bétourné a testament to both faith and the often-unforeseen turns of history.