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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Germain church of Vitry-sur-Seine, located at the intersection of Paul-Vaillant-Couturier Avenues and Abbé-Roger-Derry, has its origins around 1150. Its construction, contemporary of that of Notre-Dame de Paris, ended in the 14th century, suggesting a collaboration between the craftsmen of the two construction sites. The base of the bell tower (south side) dates back to the 12th century, while the nave with four spans, the lower side, and the transept date from the beginning of the 13th century. The apse, the walk-through and the radiant chapels, added at the end of the 13th or at the beginning of the 14th century, complete this Gothic ensemble marked by great interior clarity.

On 24 June 1432, lightning destroyed the arch of the nave and the top of the bell tower, requiring major repairs. In the 15th century, an apparent frame replaced the collapsed vault, while the bell tower arrow was rebuilt. The church, classified as a Historical Monument in 1862, underwent significant transformations in the 19th century: the departmental architect Claude Naissant rebuilt the bell tower between 1846 and 1848, then the sacristy between 1866 and 1869. The arrow was restored again in 1931.

The building houses remarkable furniture, including works classified as The Virgin, Saint Anne, the Child Jesus and Saint John the Baptist (copy XVII of Andrea del Sarto) or Saint Madeleine (1841) by Geoffroy-Alphonse Chocarne. The organ of the rostrum, built in 1878 by the sons of Jean-Baptiste Stoltz, and the baptismal fonts (17th-15th centuries) bear witness to its rich heritage. After the law of 1905, the church became communal property, and a plaque commemorates the Seine flood of 1910.

Father Roger Derry (1900–1943), vicar from 1930 to 1934, resisting beheaded in 1943, is a major figure linked to the church. He founded the parish newspaper Le Mil and remained honored by an avenue bearing his name. Between 2010 and 2015, ten decorated capitals were restored, twelve gargoyles, a golden cock overlooking the arrow, and the three bells melted in 1832.

Today, Saint-Germain Church, owned by the commune, remains an active place of worship and an architectural witness to the stylistic and historical evolutions of Vitry-sur-Seine, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era. Its link with the Interparous House (opened in 1970) strengthens its anchor in local life.

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