Church of Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles — Local services in Paris

This is a Roman Catholic parish church on Rue Saint Denis in the 1st District of Paris. It is not far north of Pompidou and can be conveniently viewed when sightseeing in the area.

Originally constructed in the 13th-century, numerous enlargements and modifications took place up until 1780, providing the bulk of the present church you see today. Recent church history is also much associated with the relics of Saint Helena, mother of early 4th-century ruler Emperor Constantine, which were transferred to the church in the late 19th century.

Due to the narrow street in front of the church, it is a bit challenging to appreciate the facade and immediate exterior of Eglise Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles. However, you can enjoy a simple Gothic facade with side turrets on both sides of the entrance.

We further found the interior to be quite dark throughout. You can walk through the nave, viewing a fine alter with surrounding decoratively carved columns and a nicely carved pulpit. However, it was rather difficult taking pictures due to poor light conditions on the day.

There are nice stained-glass windows to see. However, quite a few within the upper level of the church were missing, at present being replaced with temporary clear glass panes. Would be nice to see the interior with replacements window panes at some point in the future.

In the end, we liked Eglise Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles but found it more difficult to enjoy given the dark conditions on the day we visited. Will have to give her another visit in the future so that we can better view and...

An amazing church open to visit and or worship most days. It was the the church of the royals and rich centuries ago. The holy water fountain was donated by Victor Hugo. The massive arches, carved stone pillars and spirit filled painting filled me with awe. It is currently an active Catholic church and you can fill the spirit of worship and God. Multilingual information about the church's history and art...

Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles de Paris is a Roman Catholic parish church in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. It has housed the relics of Empress Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, for 200 years. Helena was an important person and there are still many visitors to the church precisely because of her. In 1915, the French Ministry of Culture classified it as a monument of...