Sainte Marie

des Batignolles

77, place du docteur Félix Dolgéris, 75017 Paris

Even in the 19th century, the present-day city of Paris was only a series of small towns in the countryside, apart from medieval Paris. In 1824, the village of Batignolles had five thousand inhabitants and depended on Clichy. It was decided to build a church; a subscription was launched. The small sum raised only allowed the erection of a chapel completed in 1829. But the population continued to grow and the chapel was enlarged by Paul-Eugène Lequeux (1806-1873). Respecting the Latin cross shape, it had the two aisles, the transept and the choir added, completed in 1851. The building is inspired by the ancient Roman basilica. Its porch resembles that of a Greek temple. The interior bears the mark of the churches built under the Restoration: Sainte-Marie-des-Batignolles is a sober, almost severe church. Fortunately, a flat ceiling with painted compartments and a superb 19th-century choir with a magnificent sculpted retable break this sobriety and embellish the building.

E6 In the second half of the nineteenth century, the church of Sainte-Marie des Batignolles had a large Stoltz organ (36 stops), which operated until July 1912. The First World War halted all reconstruction projects. During the unavailability of this instrument, it is the accompanying organ, installed in the choir, which is used. It is a 16-stop Merklin, built around 1880. tIt was transferred in 1918 to Saint-André d'Antin without being replaced. In 1923, a new great organ was built in the tribune on the reverse of the main façade by the company Mutin Cavaillé-Coll. In 1936, it underwent a complete overhaul by Gloton- Debierre and later, after the Second World War, a restoration with transformations was carried out by the same factory (now Beuchet-Debierre). Regularly maintained for twenty years, it then deteriorated rapidly: in 1982, it was completely unusable. In 1991-1994, Dargassies restored it entirely with the addition of seven stops. In 2011, Dargassies restored the wind supply. Source

1923 - Mutin (1) 1936 - Gloton-Debierre (6) 1947 - Beuchet-Debierre (3a) 1993 - Dargassies (7) 2011 - Dargassies (7)

III/35 (30) - traction mécanique

composition

Organiste titulaire Simon Prunet-Foch Famous organists in the past: André Messager, Henti Busser (titulaires de l’ancien orgue Stoltz), Joseph Bonnet, Joachim Havard de la Montagne. Concerts Sometimes Masses with organ Saturday 6:00 PM, Sunday 10:30 AM, 6:45 PM Videos Simon Prunet-Foch Photos : Jeroen de Haan