Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île — Attraction in Paris

St. Louis (Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île) is an early 18th-century church on the island in the middle of the Seine River. It features both Baroque and Classical architecture and is open from 9.30-1pm and 2-7.30pm (Mon-Sat) and 9-1pm and 2-7pm (Sun).

The exterior is very simple, doesn't stand out from other buildings along Rue Saint-Louis with the exception of the bell tower with a hanging clock helps give away the presence of a church.

Once inside, a much larger than anticipated interior presents itself. The nave includes columns and ceiling with nice gilding and stucco ornamentation. Stained-glass windows behind an attractive main altar and altarpiece make for nice sightseeing.

The aisles and area behind the main altar include smaller chapels with impressive frescos. However, these areas receive much less natural light so are more difficult to view properly. Historic artworks by Fra Angelico, Coypel and Carle Van Loo can be viewed within these chapels as well.

Overall, we like Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île. It is a nice church with a few really nice artworks to see. If you are planning to be on the island or if you simply like visiting historic churches, this is a good place to include in your...

Au début du XVIIe siècle, l'île a commencé à se développer activement : elle a été planifiée, des rues ont été tracées, d'élégantes demeures ont été construites pour les citoyens fortunés. Dans le même temps, il est apparu clairement que les habitants avaient besoin de leur propre église. C'est pourquoi la paroisse de Saint-Louis-en-Lil a été créée en 1642 et, quelques décennies plus tard, la construction de l'église actuelle a débuté en 1664. L'église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île est une belle église baroque située au cœur de Paris, sur l'île Saint-Louis. L'Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île se distingue notamment par son clocher inhabituel, doté d'une belle horloge et d'une élégante tour en treillis. Le style architectural est principalement baroque, mais l'intérieur ressemble à une transition vers le classicisme : beaucoup de lumière, des lignes élancées et des formes austères. On y trouve de beaux vitraux, des orgues anciens, des sculptures et des œuvres d'art des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles. L'église est activement utilisée : des messes, des concerts d'orgue et même des festivals de musique classique y sont organisés.

At the beginning of the XVII century the island began to be actively built up: it was planned, streets were laid out, elegant mansions for wealthy citizens were built. At the same time it became clear that the locals needed their own church. That is why in 1642 the parish of Saint-Louis-en-Lille was created, and a couple of decades later the construction of the present church began in 1664. Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île is a beautiful baroque church in the heart of Paris, on the island of Saint-Louis. One of the features of Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Île is its unusual bell tower with a beautiful clock and an elegant lattice tower. The architectural style is mainly Baroque, but the interior feels like a transition to classicism: lots of light, slender lines, and austere forms. Inside you can see beautiful stained glass windows, ancient organs, sculptures and works of art of XVII-XVIII centuries. The church is actively used: masses, organ concerts and even some classical music festivals...

Unsuspecting facade leads you to a beautiful inside. We decided to enter when the sun was setting and it was magical when the light hit the stained glass windows. The choir was practicing and made it unforgettable to me. Will post videos seperately so the audio...