Église Notre-Dame de Bon-Voyage

A chapel once stood on the same ground where we are now, as early as the 16th century. It was a different time then, a time when sailors would seek solace and blessings before embarking on perilous journeys across the sea. It is here they would come to pray at the Église Notre-Dame de Bon-Voyage. The name itself, meaning “Our Lady of Safe Journey,” reflects the anxieties and hopes of a maritime community. The original chapel, known first as Notre-Dame des Sables (Our Lady of the Sands), then Notre-Dame-du-Bord-de-Mer (Our Lady of the Seafront), and later Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Port (Our Lady of the Good Port), bore witness to their prayers. However, the chapel, weathered by time and turmoil, was eventually deemed insufficient for the growing congregation. In its place rose the Église Notre-Dame de Bon-Voyage as we see it today, designed by the architect Laurent Vianay. Its foundation was laid in 1868, marking a new chapter in the story of this sacred site. The church, though not in its originally intended grandeur due to the interruption of the Franco-Prussian War, still stands as a testament to the enduring faith and resilience of the community it serves.