Église Notre Dame des Champs

Église Notre Dame des Champs

Constructed between 1867 and 1876 in the Romanesque style,

the church site has a storied history.

From a Roman temple, a vineyard, a

place of pilgrimage, a monastery,

 this church is now an active parish.

bon dimanche

Église Notre Dame des Champs

91, Boulevard du Montparnasse

75006, Paris

Église Notre Dame des Champs

Église Notre Dame des Champs

We sat and listened intently to the organ 

as the music filled every corner of the immense space.  

It was a rehearsal by Yannick Merlin, 

and we watched as he and his assistant 

descended the narrow spiral stairs behind the latticed enclosure,

seen at the back of the church (under the arches).

The organ was built by Cavaillé-Coll in 1877, 

just as the roman styled church was completed (a ten-year venture).

bon dimanche

Église Notre Dame des Champs

92 bis, boulevard du Montparnasse

75006, Paris

Église Notre-Dame-des-Champs - l'orgue

Église Notre-Dame-des-Champs

The organ is Cavaillé-Coll from 1877, 

and on this dreary, rainy day Yannick Merlin 

was rehearsing for a concert.

If you want to have a sample of the sounds and a video of the church, 

follow this link. 

bon dimanche

Église Notre-Dame-des-Champs

92 bis, Boulevard du Montparnasse

75006, Paris

Église Notre-Dame-des-Champs

Église Notre-Dame-des-Champs

This door opens to the circular steps up to the illustrious Cavaillé-Coll organ (1877) of Notre-Dame-des-Champs.  Yannick Merlin is co-titular organist here and is a substitute organist at Église Val-de-Grâce.  Holly and I had the pleasure of listening to a rehearsal but could only see the top of the organist's head high above us in the organ loft.  

As we prepared to exit the empty church this door opened and out walked M. Merlin himself.  I did not lift my camera for a photo, but instead thanked him for the music.

You never know who you will run into in Paris.

bon dimanche

Église Notre-Dame-des-Champs

92 bis, Boulevard du Montparnasse

75006, Paris