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Key figures

Origin and history

The church Saint-François-d-Assise was built to respond to the urban expansion of the large "Fauconnière, Carreaux" ensemble, erected in 1963 by Bishop Alexandre Renard of Versailles. This parish territory then spread over Gonesse and Villiers-le-Bel. The initial chapel, dedicated to Saint Vincent de Paul and designed by architect Authmann, became insufficient in the face of population growth, justifying the building of a new place of worship in the centre of the city.

Work of architect Olivier Caplain, the church is distinguished by a structure in two dissymmetric curves, composed of stone walls whose variable spacing integrates liturgical spaces (altar, confessional). Its glue-lamel frame is based on a central bearing point, symbolized by a copper funnel collecting rainwater. The building, designed to accommodate 500 faithful, also includes parish rooms in the basement, with independent entrances for each level.

The materials used – concrete, stone, wood, glass and metal – align with those of the surrounding buildings, reflecting voluntary urban integration. The church is today part of the parish together with Our Lady of Peace in Arnouville, welcoming a diverse community, including a large Chaldean population. Its innovative architecture and its social role make it a significant testimony to the religious urbanism of the Thirty Glories.

The diocesan reorganization placed the church under the authority of a common parish priest with the parish of Arnouville, comprising five places of worship. His sheet on the general inventory of cultural heritage highlights his architectural and historical interest, while sources such as The Journal of the Work of the Cardinal's Buildings (1984) document his construction. The present parish site perpetuates its local anchoring and ecumenical vocation.

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