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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, located at 23 rue des Bernardins in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, finds its origins in the 13th century. A chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas was erected there in 1230, replaced by a church in 1243, then enlarged and rebuilt several times. The clos du Chardonnet, mentioned since 1126, was a wine estate located between the abbey of Saint-Victor and the rue de Bièvre, later integrated into the enclosure of Philippe Auguste.

The major reconstruction of the church began in 1656 under Louis XIV, according to the plans attributed to Charles Le Brun, the first king's painter and churchkeeper of the parish. The works, led by architects Michel Noblet and François Levé, covered more than a century, with financial interruptions. The nave was completed in 1716, the vault laid in 1763, and the facade, financed by Marc-René de Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson, was not completed until 1937. The church, atypical for its lack of east-west orientation, was classified as a Historic Monument in 1887.

On 27 February 1977, the church was illegally occupied by members of the Priestly Fraternity Saint-Pie-X, led by Abbé François Ducaud-Bourget. Despite an expulsion order obtained by the archdiocese of Paris, the traditionalists were still there, making Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet a symbol of traditional Catholicism and a gathering place for part of the French far right. The church houses major works of art, including paintings by Charles Le Brun and Noël Nicolas Coypel, as well as a historic organ restored in 2009.

The building preserves notable relics, such as a flask of water from the bones of Saint Nicholas and a bone of Saint Victor. Its rich interior includes sculptures by Michel Anguier and Gaspard Collignon, as well as a private chapel dedicated to Saint Charles Borromée, decorated by Coysevox. The bells, blessed in 1856, bear the names of Louis, Napoleon, Eugénie and John, in homage to Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie.

Since its occupation, the church has been an active place of worship for traditionalists, with annual processions (Rameaux, Fête-Dieu, Assumption, Immaculate Conception) and commemorative Masses, such as that dedicated to the victims of the shooting on Isly Street in 1962. It has also served as a framework for political events, including tributes to figures on the far right, such as Maurice Bardèche or Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Architecturally, Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet is distinguished by its neoclassical facade, its side square bell tower, and its baroque interior. The great organ, built by François Thierry in 1725 and restored several times, is a classified musical gem. The church also houses the tombs of historical personalities, including Charles Le Brun, Jérôme Bignon and François Ducaud-Bourget, buried in the choir.

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