French Cathedrals & Churches

Photography of French Cathedrals and Churches by Peter Mathews and Eric Jump.
Click on each image for a larger view.

Nantes Cathedral

Cathédrale St-Pierre, west front, Nantes Cathedral

Architrave & gable above north portal, Nantes Cathedral

East end from northeast, Nantes Cathedral

Narthex, organ escalier & west doors, Nantes Cathedral

Nave vault, Nantes Cathedral

South transept (17th c.) & window (Chapuis, 1959), Nantes Cathedral

Base of white marble altar in Lady Chapel, Nantes Cathedral

Angels hold cushion for Duc François II, Nantes Cathedral

Nevers Cathedral

Chevet from east (closeup), Nevers Cathedral

Nîmes Cathedral

Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-St-Castor (11th, 17th & 19th c.), west front, Nîmes Cathedral

'Noah's Ark,' west front Romanesque frieze, Nîmes Cathedral

Nave, looking east, Nîmes Cathedral

Rococo axial Lady Chapel, Nîmes Cathedral

Oloron-Ste-Marie Cathedral

West porch portal with tympanum & archivolts (12th c.), Oloron-Ste-Marie Cathedral

Archivolts above tympanum (12th c.), Oloron-Ste-Marie Cathedral

Elder of the Apocalypse playing instrument (12th c.), Oloron-Ste-Marie Cathedral

Nave, looking west, with organ (1650) from high altar, Oloron-Ste-Marie Cathedral

Orléans Cathedral

Orléans Cathedral

Orléans Cathedral

Orléans Cathedral

Orléans Cathedral

Paray-le-Monial,
Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

Paray-le-Monial, Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

Paray-le-Monial, Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

West front and flower garden, Paray-le-Monial, Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

Paris, Église
St-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts

Choir rose window (20th c.), Église St-Antoine-des-Quinze-Vingts, Paris

Paris, Sainte-Chapelle

La Sainte-Chapelle (1240s) from southeast, Paris

Leaden flêche (Lassus, 1837-40), Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

Apse, exterior, Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

Sainte-Chapelle, Paris

Paris, St-Étienne-du-Mont

West front, transition from Gothic to Renaissance, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Belfry tower from west (completed 1628), St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

West front rose window, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Tympanum above central portal, 'The Stoning', St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Nave looking east, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Rood screen (1525-35), St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Vault at crossing, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

The Organ (1631-32), St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Ste-Geneviève Chapel window, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

The Mystic Winepress (1st quarter, 17th c.), St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

The Mystic Winepress, 3rd center panel, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

The offering of Melchizedek, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Visit of Three Angels to Abraham, St-Étienne-du-Mont, Paris

Paris,
Église St-Gervais-St-Protais

West front (Clément Métezeau, 1616-21), Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

Flamboyant nave vault (1600-57), looking east, Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

Organ (played by Couperin family) at west end, Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

2nd north clerestory window, lower middle panels (c. 1610-20), Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

John the Baptist, 2nd south ambulatory chapel, Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

'Judgment of Solomon' (Pinaigrier, 1531), center panels, Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

Lady Chapel (1517) with 16th c. windows, Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

Lady Chapel vault (1517), Église St-Gervais-St-Protais, Paris

Paris, Église-de-la-Madeleine

Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine (1806-42), Paris

Bronze door bas-relief of Decalogue, adultery (Triqueti, 1838), Église-de-la-Madeleine, Paris

Nave and cupola vault, Église-de-la-Madeleine, Paris

Ascension of the Magdalen (Marochetti) , Église-de-la-Madeleine, Paris

Paris, Val-de-Grâce

West front & dome, Paris, Val-de-Grâce

Paris, St-Vincent-de-Paul

Neoclassical façade (Hittorff & Lepère, 1824-44), St-Vincent-de-Paul, Paris

Column capitals, pediment & statues on façade, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Paris

Procession of Saints over nave arcade (Hippolyte Flandrin), St-Vincent-de-Paul, Paris

Rose window behind organ, St-Vincent-de-Paul, Paris

Pleyben, Parish Close

Calvary & church towers (15th-17th c.), Pleyben, Parish Close

Towers from west, Pleyben, Parish Church

Sacristy from southeast, Pleyben, Parish Close

Poitiers, Notre-Dame-la-Grande

View from southwest with two porches & central bell tower, Notre-Dame-la-Grande, Poitiers

Notre-Dame-la-Grande, Poitiers

West front gable, Notre-Dame-la-Grande, Poitiers

Seated statues on north side of west front, Notre-Dame-la-Grande, Poitiers

Poitiers, St-Hilaire-le-Grand

Nave exterior, south side, showing aisle placement, St-Hilaire-le-Grand, Poitiers

Nave, south side, from choir, St-Hilaire-le-Grand, Poitiers

Organ at west end, St-Hilaire-le-Grand, Poitiers

Trinity statue, St-Hilaire-le-Grand, Poitiers

Pontoise Cathedral

Pontoise Cathedral

Le Puy Cathedral

Cathedral complex from north, Le Puy Cathedral

West front and staircase (12th c.), Le Puy Cathedral

West front at night, Le Puy Cathedral

Cloister, south gallery with cornice illustrating a medieval bestiary & north side of nave, Le Puy Cathedral

Nave domes, Le Puy Cathedral

Choir and high altar, Le Puy Cathedral

Modern altar at crossing, Le Puy Cathedral

Narbonne Cathedral

Entrance to cloister & south entrance, Narbonne Cathedral

Cathedral from southeast from top of Donjon, Narbonne Cathedral

Choir (1272-1332), looking east, Narbonne Cathedral

Organ (1741) at west end (closeup), Narbonne Cathedral

Angels on high altar, left side, Narbonne Cathedral

Chevet, upper windows (early 14th c.), Narbonne Cathedral

Lady Chapel, center window, 'Life of Christ' (1311), middle panes, Narbonne Cathedral

5th north ambulatory St. Martin's Chapel, Narbonne Cathedral

Narbonne, Basilique St-Paul

Basilique St-Paul (12th-14th c.) from Donjon, Basilique St-Paul, Narbonne

Basilique St-Paul (12th-14th c.) from northwest, Basilique St-Paul, Narbonne

Nave, looking east, with basket-handle supporting arches, Basilique St-Paul, Narbonne

Organ (closeup), at west end, Basilique St-Paul, Narbonne

Ambulatory vault, looking south, Basilique St-Paul, Narbonne

Noyon Cathedral

Noyon Cathedral

Noyon Cathedral

Noyon Cathedral

Orange Cathedral

Nave (1085-1126), looking east, Orange Cathedral

Choir window, Orange Cathedral

Pamiers Cathedral

Cathédrale St-Antonin (14th-17th c.), west front, Pamiers Cathedral

Octagonal tower (14th c.), Pamiers Cathedral

Top of octagonal tower (14th c.), Pamiers Cathedral

Fortified base of tower (late 17th c.), from north, Pamiers Cathedral

Paris, Notre-Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris (1963)

West front & parvis, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

Southwest side, exterior, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

South transept rose exterior, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

East end from Pont de la Tournelle, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

West rose (1200-1250) (detail), Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

South transept rose, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

North transept rose (c. 1255), Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

Chapelle St-Guillaume, medallion (1225-1230), south ambulatory, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris

Paris, Ste-Clotilde

Basilique Ste-Clotilde (1846-56), façade & spires, Paris

Nave interior (1846-56), Ste-Clotilde, Paris

Organ (Cavaillé-Col, 1859), Ste-Clotilde, Paris

Stations of the Cross, #6, Ste-Clotilde, Paris

Paris, St-Eustache

South side exterior (1532-1637), St-Eustache, Paris

North nave elevation, St-Eustache, Paris

Choir vault, St-Eustache, Paris

Organ (Ducrochet, 1854), St-Eustache, Paris

West rose & top of organ buffet, St-Eustache, Paris

1st south ambulatory chapel window (19th c.), St-Eustache, Paris

1st north ambulatory chapel window, St-Eustache, Paris

Rameau's tomb, Chapelle Ste-Cécile, 3rd south aisle chapel, St-Eustache, Paris

Paris,
Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois

Gothic Flamboyant porch (Jean Gaussel, 1435-39), Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

'Last Supper' keystone on south portal vault, Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

Nave (15th c.), looking east, Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

Organ gallery (Cliquot, 1791), Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

Royal pew (Mercier-Le Brun, late 17th c.), north nave, Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

South transept vault (15th c.), Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

South transept rose window (late 15th-early 16th c.), Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

'Three Infants at the Foot of the Cross' (Jouffroy, 19th c.), south transept, Église St-Germain-l'Auxerrois, Paris

Paris, Église St-Louis-en-Île

Nave & Choir (1664-1726), Église St-Louis-en-Île, Paris

Organ (Aubertin, 2005), Église St-Louis-en-Île, Paris

Organ (Aubertin, 2005), detail, Église St-Louis-en-Île, Paris

Dome at crossing (17th c.), Église St-Louis-en-Île, Paris

Paris, Église St-Paul-St-Louis

Église St-Paul-St-Louis, façade (1627-41), Paris

Nave interior, Église St-Paul-St-Louis, Paris

Nave with organ, Église St-Paul-St-Louis, Paris

Transept, Église St-Paul-St-Louis, Paris

Périgueux Cathedral

Périgueux Cathedral

Nave looking east & central dome, Périgueux Cathedral

Retable (17th c.), Périgueux Cathedral

David window, Périgueux Cathedral

Poitiers Cathedral

North tower and west front, Poitiers Cathedral

Poitiers Cathedral

Poitiers Cathedral

King David on archivolt, Poitiers Cathedral

South transept right window, Poitiers Cathedral

North nave windows (13th c.), Poitiers Cathedral

Poitiers Cathedral

East end north window, Poitiers Cathedral

East end south window, Poitiers Cathedral

Poitiers, Ste-Radegonde

Poitiers, Ste-Radegonde

Provins, Collégiale St-Quiriace

Collégiale St-Quiriace from south, Provins

Choir & transepts, looking east, Collégiale St-Quiriace, Provins

Northeast transept triforium, Collégiale St-Quiriace, Provins

Dome (1665) at the crossing, Collégiale St-Quiriace, Provins

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Vintage descriptions of French cathedrals

For additional information or to arrange commissions, please contact:
Dr. Peter Mathews
126 Timber Lane, Palatka, FL 32177 • Tel. (386) 312-0001
E-Mail: Roundlake126@aol.com