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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Louis de Vincennes, located at 22 rue Fays and 23 rue Céline-Robert, is a Catholic religious building dedicated to Saint Louis, king of France, who did justice in Vincennes. It is distinguished by its modern reinforced concrete architecture, inspired by Byzantine churches, and its exceptional interior decor, made by major artists from the revival of sacred art in the 20th century.

Built between 1914 and 1924 by architects Jacques Droz and Joseph Marrast, the works were interrupted by the First World War. The church was consecrated in 1924, but its interior decoration was only completed in 1927, and its campanile in 1935. It illustrates the architectural audacity of the time, combining traditional techniques and innovations, as the pioneering use of reinforced concrete for a church.

The interior decoration, of remarkable unity, was designed by artists from the Atelier d'Art Sacré, founded by Maurice Denis in 1919. Among them, Maurice Denis himself directed Les Beatitudes and La Glorification de Saint Louis using an innovative technique, the STIC B. Henri Marret, specialist of fresco, contributed to it with a Chemin de Croix (1921) and representations of the evangelists in the dome. The ceramics, omnipresent, were mainly created by Maurice Dhomme, while Carlo Sarrabezolles carved the statue of Saint Louis at the entrance.

The building was listed as a Historic Monument in 1996 for its intact testimony to early twentieth century sacred art. His organ, originally installed in 1954-1955 by Victor Gonzalez, was replaced in 2017 by a neoclassical instrument of 39 games, built by Denis Lacorre. In 2025, a restoration of the northern frescoes, estimated at 710 000 euros, was partially financed by the Cardinal's Buildings (150 000 euros).

The church serves the parishes of Vincennes and Saint-Mandé. Its centered plan, its glass-paved windows (new technique developed by Saint-Gobain), and its milled walls with red brick fittings make it a unique example of harmony between constructive modernity and spirituality. The ironworks, signed Raymond Subes, complete this coherent artistic ensemble, where every detail was designed by architects and artists.

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