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Origin and history

Saint-Germain de Charonne Church is a Catholic religious building located in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, in the heart of the old village of Charonne. It combines 12th century remains, such as the large pillars of the tower, with architecture mainly from the 15th and 18th centuries. Before 1860, when it joined Paris, it was the parish centre of the village, around Rue Saint-Blaise. An indulgence plaque engraved in 1460, in Gothic letters, bears witness to its spiritual importance: it promised visitors "40 days of true forgiveness".

According to tradition, the church was erected around 430 by the inhabitants of Charonne, at the place of a small oratory commemorating the meeting between Saint Germain, bishop of Auxerre, and Saint Geneviève, future patron saint of Paris. This legend, though unverified, would anchor its origins in the early days of Christianity in Île-de-France. The building, built on a clay layer, has always suffered from instability. In 2009, major structural disorders required stabilization work (2009-2016), preceded by archaeological excavations.

The church is remarkable for its dedicated cemetery, one of the last two in Paris to preserve its medieval enclosure, with that of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre. It became a municipal cemetery in 1791 and was enlarged in 1845 and 1859, then integrated into Paris in 1860. In 1897, the discovery of 800 Federated skeletons, rebuked in a mass grave, recalled its role during the Commune. The cemetery, like the church, is classified as a historical monument (1923 and 1964).

The church marked popular culture, notably as a decoration of the final wedding of the Tonton gunners (1963), where one sees its interior and the painting The Meeting of Saint Germain and Saint Geneviève of Joseph-Benoît Suvée. It also appears in works by Tardi, Brasillach, Audiard, and the TV film Au bon Butre (1981), reflecting its anchor in the Parisian heritage.

Ranked a historic monument on May 23, 1923, the church today embodies a unique blend of medieval history, religious architecture and local memory. Its bell tower and cemetery, still visible on Rue Saint-Blaise, make it an emblematic place of the 20th arrondissement, between tradition and modernity.

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