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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Christophe-de-Javel, located in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, is a religious building built between 1926 and 1930, inaugurated on 4 July 1930 and blessed on 26 October of the same year. It replaces a wooden chapel, the chapel Saint-Alexandre, erected in 1864 and destroyed in 1890, followed by a temporary chapel used until 1898. The architect Charles-Henri Besnard, pioneer of moulded reinforced cement, applies patented techniques to create the first church built with this method, reflecting a modern and industrial style.

The church is dedicated to Saint Christophe, patron of the travelers, because of his proximity to the Citroën factories of bleach, symbols of modern transport. Its interior decor includes a fresco by Henri-Marcel Magne depicting the saint surrounded by means of locomotion (train, plane, automobile), as well as stained glass by Jacques Grüber and moulded glass by Max and Jean Braemer. A concrete statue of Saint Christophe, the work of Pierre Vigoureux, adorns the pediment.

Ranked a historic monument in 1975 for its innovative architecture, the church also houses a renowned master's degree, founded in 1955 by Claude Summary under the name of Manécanterie des Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Christophe-de-Javel. This musical institution, directed today by Gisèle Delgoulet and Rogatien Despaigne, has trained prestigious choir leaders such as Lionel Sow (Maîtrise de Notre-Dame) and Henri Chalet. It now consists of three ensembles: preparatory choir, children's choir and adult choir.

The parish parish priests have succeeded each other since 1926, with notable figures such as Jean-Baptiste Aymard, pastor-constructor, or Father Emmanuel Coquet, present holder since 2022. The church, owned by the commune, remains an active place of worship and architectural testimony of the 1930s, combining technical innovation and religious symbolism adapted to its industrial era.

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