They had warned me at the tourist information office that the church wasn't always open. Luckily... read more
They had warned me at the tourist information office that the church wasn't always open. Luckily... read more
Not the usual heavily decorated church of Europe, this church has large metal fencing of black and... read more
Very disappointed that it was not open despite saying opened at 1400. We tried twice and neither day open. Wou have been nice to see inside
They had warned me at the tourist information office that the church wasn't always open. Luckily for me, it was when I got there.
Extensive garden. A little overgrown, but pleasant to walk through. Imposing church building, viewable from several different angles. So far, so good.
Inside, it FELT old. Not unpleasant, just as though it had seen a lot of history and, unlike many churches in the area, not been strongly affected by it. Old,old stones, still in their original places. Old pictures. Some comfortable modern touches, but not so far removed from its medieval origins that I couldn't imagine them.
Fairly, plain and simple compared with other churches we had encountered in France, but bags of atmosphere.
Blinking back into the daylight, like arriving from another time. The gardens again. Quiet neighbourhood. Not many tourists make it here, it seems. Glad I did.
Not the usual heavily decorated church of Europe, this church has large metal fencing of black and gold around the altar. Only some stained glass but it had so many burning candles that created a beautiful atmosphere. Closed on a Monday its just opposite the tourist office at Jean Bart.
The eglise Notre Damn is a magnificent church, rebuilt following the damage it suffered during the war. The exterior architecture is superb and is equaled by the ornate decoration inside.
This great building has finally been rebuilt and restored enough to be open to the public, & available for all to enjoy. The brick outside gives nothing away - inside the old stone columns soar from the shining floor to the beautiful new roof, the ornate altarpiece and metal railings gleam, there is gilding, there are votive candles, & the whole feeling is of a place of worship in use. A welcome counter has leaflets in lots of languages, history books about Calais, & a charming guide to answer questions. The day we were there the temporary exhibition was all about the history of the rose, very nicely done. The huge freshly restored oil painting of the relief of Calais is also worth seeing. Outside the Tudor Garden is maturing well, the arches weathering to silver grey around the colourful flower beds, & there are young fruit trees, possibly unusual varieties, all labelled. The herb garden is less successful, looking decidedly in need of love, but no doubt that will be sorted. It was nice to find so much seating in the garden areas. The water cistern is interesting in the context of the size of the Calais fortress.
Before posting this I looked at what others wrote and I didn't realize that DeGaulle was married here. That's history, along with all the bullet holes on the outside of this church. The garden area out back is impressive as well.