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Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Gérard church of Wattrelos, located in the Northern Department, is a neo-Gothic brick building built between 1907 and 1912. Its realization was financed by the donations of parishioners gathered within the association Saint-Gérard. The church is distinguished by its bell tower flanked by two hexagonal turrets, surmounted by an arrow in slates, and its triangular sculpted tympanum depicting Saint Gérard framed by angels. Inside, the original stained glass windows, illustrating biblical scenes, and two frescoes dedicated to Saint Bernadette testify to his rich artistic heritage.

Due to the decline in religious practice in the North and the financial difficulties of the diocese of Lille, the church was closed in February 2012, and then desecrated on April 14, 2014. His furniture and liturgical objects were sold or donated, especially to African parishes. In order to avoid its demolition, the diocese handed it over in 2017 for a symbolic euro to a real estate civil society, which developed a "cité de l'crafts", a training space for young people in school drop-out.

The rehabilitation project, led by the association FARAB, aims to preserve the exterior appearance of the building, including its iconic bell tower of the Touquet-Saint-Gérard district. The bells, still in place, now rhythmize the hours. This model of reconversion illustrates a growing trend of valorisation of the disused religious heritage, as evidenced also by the former church Saint-Louis de Tourcoing, transformed according to a similar logic.

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