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Origin and history

Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul de Courbevoie Church is a Catholic place of worship located in the Hauts-de-Seine, listed as a historical monument since 1971. Its origin dates back to the 14th century, with a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, destroyed during the Hundred Years War and rebuilt in the 16th century. The current building, built from 1790 under the direction of architect Louis Le Masson, student of Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, is one of the few religious monuments erected during the French Revolution. His atypical T-shaped plan with an elliptical nave is explained by the smallness of the terrain.

The first stone was laid in 1790 by the Count of Affry and Pierre-Jacques Thorin, seigneur of Courbevoie, in the presence of Abbé Pierre Hébert, parish priest. The latter, guillotine in 1794, was commemorated by a plaque in the church. The works, interrupted in 1793 after the removal of Le Masson, resumed in 1819 thanks to funds raised by the Duchess of Angoulême. The church is then restored and finished, with a pottery vault covered with lead.

In 1868, architect Jean-Baptiste Guenepin led a major expansion, extending the nave and adding a new choir. The bell tower, originally planned but not realized, was finally built in 1932 under the impulse of Abbé François Neuville, parish priest from 1907 to 1942. The church was also marked by the historic call of Abbé Pierre in 1954, since his pulpit, in favour of the homeless. Saved in extremis from destruction in 1971 by its inscription in historical monuments, it benefited from major restorations in 1980, 1987-1988 and 1992-1993.

The interior houses remarkable works, including 19th-century marouflé canvases depicting religious scenes, such as Saint Paul preaching before the Areopagus (1877) by Édouard Debat-Ponsan or La Trinité en glorité (1870) by Louis Adan. The stained glass windows, destroyed in 1943 during a bombardment, were replaced in 1957 by glass windows by Jacques Le Breton. The current organ, inspired by 17th century instruments, was installed in 2011 by Bertrand Cattiaux.

The church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul remains a symbol of Courbevoie's religious and architectural heritage, mixing revolutionary heritage, 19th-century restorations and significant events of the 20th century. Its elliptical plan, its neoclassical peristyle and its turbulent history make it a unique monument in Île-de-France.

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