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Origin and history

The church Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Montreuil, located in the Seine-Saint-Denis, finds its origins in the eighth century, attested by a royal ordinance of 722 confirming its donation to the Abbey of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés. The present building, built on the site of a Romanesque church, saw its choir erected between the late 12th and early 13th centuries, when Louis IX and Blanche de Castille attended ceremonies. King Charles V was baptized there in 1337, marking his importance in Capetian history.

In the 14th century, the central facade was built, followed in the 15th century by the reconstruction of the nave and the addition of a chapel Saint-Expedit. The bell tower, damaged by lightning in 1807, was partially damaged, while major restorations in the 19th century transformed the facade and interior, including the chapel of the baptismal fonts. Consolidation work (micro-pious, repair of blankets) continues in the 20th and 21st centuries, with recent projects to renovate liturgical furniture.

The architecture mixes primitive Gothic (triforium of the choir) and late additions, like the south side of the nave, built in the 16th century by the masons La Porte and Dupuys after the plans of Pierre Chambiges. The flat bedside, without transept, and the statues of Peter and Paul adorning the eastern wall illustrate his artistic heritage. Excavations of the 1980s revealed burials in front of the façade, testifying to its historic funeral role.

Ranked a historical monument in 1913, the church remains an active place of worship, attached to the diocese of Saint-Denis. His furniture includes a brass cross of Jacques Dieudonné and bas-reliefs of the evangelists. In 2025, the Cardinal's Building Association allocated 10,000 euros for its embellishment, as part of a total project of 155,000 euros.

Among the personalities related to the building, Charles V (baptised in 1337) and Martin Prévost (baptised in 1611), pioneer of New France, underline his anchor in national history. The oral tradition wrongly combines its construction with Pierre de Montreuil, although stylistic analogies with Notre-Dame de Paris place the choir in the last decades of the 12th century.

Today, the church, owned by the commune, is undergoing continuous restoration, especially for its well-founded bedside. Its exact address, 60 Franklin Street, and its role in the local Catholic parish make it a heritage and spiritual landmark of Montreuil, between medieval memory and contemporary life.

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