A little history of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet church

The first church dates back to the 13th century: bishop of Paris Guillaume d'Auvergne raised a small chapel on lands given by Saint-Victor abbey. It was named Chardonnet because the plot of land was called like this! The church was at that time along river Bièvre banks: maybe that was why it went to ruin, because of the humidity? We don’t know, but meanwhile, they had to rebuild it! The only vestige of the primitive chapel is the bell-tower's lower part: the rest dates back to 1656! Charles Le Brun, who lived in the district, raised the façade overlooking the rue des Bernardins. But in 1667, the vault wasn’t completed, when bishop of Paris dedicated it. Thanks to money collections in 1716 and 1763, Saint-Nicolas was completed! Since 1977, a Catholic and traditionalist movement occupied the place: they say Mass in Latin...