Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Martin de Réville church, built in the 12th century on a granite mound overlooking the Saire Harbour, is an architectural testimony combining Romanesque and Gothic influences. Its nave, rebuilt around 1150-1175, has arcades decorated with frets and broken sticks, typical of Norman Romanesque art. The choir, originally rebuilt in the 13th century, was enlarged after the Hundred Years' War in a flamboyant Gothic style, illustrating medieval stylistic evolutions.

The stone pyramidal arrow of Caen, 18 metres high, collapsed twice: in 1688 under the influence of lightning — causing the death of a parishioner and wounding 150 faithful — and in 1891, before being rebuilt identically. The bell tower of the 15th century, opened by ogival bays and surmounted by an openwork balustrade, embodies the culmination of flamboyant Gothic architecture. The lateral chapels, added between the 15th and 19th centuries, reflect successive construction campaigns, including the neo-Roman chapel of the Sacred Heart built after the First World War.

Ranked as a historical monument in 1923 (except for modern parts such as the sacristy or the chapel of the Sacred Heart), the church houses remarkable furniture: an 18th-century altarpiece, a statue of Saint Adrien in armor (XV-XVIth century), and baptismal fonts Louis XVI. The restorations of 2011 allowed us to find the stone floors and the badigeons with original lime, thus preserving its authenticity.

The building, originally linked to the abbey of Troarn after its post-millenary refoundation, was donated in 1050 by Roger de Montgommeeri, Viscount of Exmes. Although nothing remains of this first building, its history reflects the religious and seigneurial dynamics of medieval Normandy. Subsequent changes, such as the enlargement of the choir or the addition of chapels, testify to its central role in parish life throughout the centuries.

The chapel of Saint James (15th century) and the chapel of the Blessed Virgin (1827) illustrate the evolution of devotional practices, while the ex-votos, like that offered by Captain Marion around 1860, highlight his maritime anchor. The sculptures, such as the fantastically designed Romanesque capitals or the angel holding a shield, enrich his artistic heritage, making the church a place of both religious and historical memory.

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