Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame du Faubourg, located in Rochefort in Charente-Maritime, was built between 1858 and 1860 to replace the old parish church of the twelfth century, which became too small. This neogothic monument, erected outside the city walls, is distinguished by the innovative use of self-supporting cast iron elements, a pioneering technique for the period. The architect Louis-Auguste Boileau, specialist in the reinterpretation of Gothic, designed a building combining stylistic tradition and structural modernity, with a dominant bell tower and atypical transverse covers.

The church was consecrated on 1 July 1861, marking its entry into liturgical office. The bells of the old church, disused after the construction of the new sanctuary, were transferred there that same month. The old parish, dedicated to Notre-Dame de la Nativity since the Middle Ages, also housed a chapel Saint-Roch and was linked to the Priory Saint-Vivian de Saintes. Today, the historic building remains under the name Museum of Old Parish.

Inside, Notre-Dame du Faubourg maintains a coherent setting with its period of construction: stained glass from the 1890s signed Dagrant, a Wenner organ dating back to 1875, and murals made in the 1860s. The building, owned by the municipality, was listed as historical monuments in 2015 for its architectural and technical interest. His furniture and decorative program, contemporaneous to his construction, illustrate the religious art of the Second Empire.

The architect Louis-Auguste Boileau, a major figure in this project, excluded the use of cast iron for the interior pillars, preferring a graceful line inspired by medieval Gothic. This choice reflects a desire to reconcile industrial innovation and stylistic heritage. The site, located between the current Gambetta Street and Voltaire Street, is part of the urban extension of Rochefort in the 19th century, marked by the development of the suburbs.

The church protection in 2015 covers the entire building, including its furniture. Its inscription in historical monuments underscores its role in the history of French religious architecture, especially for the early use of cast iron, a material then in full industrial growth. The sanctuary remains a testimony to the urban and artistic transformations of Rochefort during the Second Empire.

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