The church Saint-Christophe-de-Javel is located rue Saint-Christophe, in the 15th arrondissement of the capital. The premises of the parish center next to the building are at the corner of rue de la Convention.
The construction of the church began in 1926 and ended in 1930. Until then, a simple wooden chapel occupied this site.
It is the architect Charles-Henri Besnard (1881-1946), disciple of Viollet-le-Duc, who designed the plans of the building and he wished for this site to use a technique that he had patented some time ago: molded reinforced cement. Prefabricated concrete elements are adorned with bricks.
Dedicated to the patron saint of travelers because of the proximity, then, factories Citroën on the quay of Javel, the church has a pediment adorned with a statue of Saint-Christophe sculpted by Pierre Vigoureux.
Inside, where the concrete structure is visible, the vault of the choir is covered with a very original fresco of Henri-Marcel Magne depicting the saint surrounded by travelers using modern means of locomotion (plane, train, liner...). The church is also decorated with stained glass windows by Jacques Gruber and Max and Jean Braemer, as well as a life of the saint in twelve panels, work of the painter Martin-Ferrières.
Protected as historical monuments since 1975, the church is also known for being the seat of a choir school (singing school and choir of children).
Open every day. Information for a visit at +33 1 45 78 33 70.
