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Key figures

Origin and history

The church Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes de La Baule-Escoublac was built to respond to the population growth of this growing seaside resort at the beginning of the 20th century. Prior to its construction, the religious services were held in the Notre-Dame-des-Flots chapel (now Sainte-Anne), built in the late 19th century and enlarged in 1915 and 1925. The insufficiency of its capacity, in the face of the influx of faithful and tourists, prompted the creation of a larger place of worship.

The project was initiated in 1923 under the direction of Abbé François Chochon, sent by the bishopric of Nantes. Land was provided by the Darlu family on Avenue des Alcyons, and funding was provided by affluent local families, including the Écomards. The work began on March 23, 1931, with a ceremony of blessing of the first stone on June 29, 1931, presided over by Bishop Eugène Le Fer de La Motte, bishop of Nantes, in the presence of local elected representatives and clergy.

The church, designed by architect François Bougoüin in a neo-Roman style, was completed on 1 July 1935 and consecrated on 21 August of the same year. The building, with its 52 meters long and 16.50 meters high under vault, also houses a remarkable organ. The building, built by Beuchet-Debierre between 1954 and 1956, was inaugurated by Gaston Litaize and undergone several restorations, notably in 1985 and 2008.

An anecdote reported, although unconfirmed, evokes Abbé Chochon's active participation in the work, even carrying sandbarrows. This detail illustrates the personal involvement of local actors in this major architectural project for the seaside community.

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