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Origin and history

The Sainte-Germaine church of Calais, located in the Pont-du-Leu district, was built between 1928 and 1934 by the architect Julien Barbier in a neo-Roman style. Placed on a Latin cross plane, it is distinguished by its vaulted nave in cradle (11 m high), its lateral chapels, and a bell tower-porch completed much later in 1988. The brick construction, with varying hues according to the work campaigns, reveals two major phases: a red base under a concrete radier (1928-1931) and a light orange elevation (1932-1934). The foundations, built by Franki to stabilize unstable soil, consumed a large part of the initial budget, delaying work.

The building honours Germaine Cousin (1579-1601), the berger of Pibrac beatified in 1867, and responds to the creation of a parish in 1912 for the southern districts of Calais, Coulogne and Coquelles. For lack of funds, the cult held first in a barracks. Father Constant Hanse, parish priest appointed in 1919, launched a subscription in the 1920s, but the amount raised (23,000 francs in 1933) was still insufficient. Construction begins only after a national mobilisation of the "Germaines" and an exceptional gift from the Diocese of Arras. The first stone was laid in 1928 by Bishop Julien of Arras, but the construction site, interrupted by technical difficulties, was only completed in 1934.

Inside, the neo-Roman influence is manifested by circular columns, curved bays, and arches in chapels. The drip walls, animated by a striated coating and a polychrome mosaic frieze, contrast with external austerity. The bell tower, originally intended as the main access, was completed under the direction of diocesan architect William Twitchett between 1986 and 1988. Ranked a Historic Monument in 2021, the church illustrates both the post-First World War reconstruction and the architectural adaptation to local constraints.

The district of Pont-du-Leu, in full industrial development with the establishment of the textile factory Les Filés de Calais (artificial silk), sees this church as a symbol of renewal. Its funding, resulting from national and diocesan solidarity, reflects the importance of Catholic worship in an area marked by the destruction of war. Today, the building, located 149 rue de Montréal, remains a testament to the religious architecture of the 20th century and the social history of Calais.

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