I like to add to this wonderful monument in my blog, It was my church while living in Versailles, you have read enough! I found pictures not in my blog and they should, especially on the Collegiate Church Notre Dame of Versailles ! This is it, if you are coming to see monuments away from the palace/museum , and you should, this is a must, the : history of France, Europe, the World started here!!!
The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame is officially at 2 rue Baillet Reviron ,but the main facade entrance is on Rue de la Paroisse corner with Rue Sainte-Geneviéve in the Notre-Dame district (mine!) and its facade facing the rue Hoche, formerly rue Dauphine, leading to Place Hoche and eventually the Place d’Armes and the palace/museum of Versailles!!
As part of Versailles‘ urban plan, the establishment of a church between Place Hoche and the Clagny pond was to contribute to the urbanization of the Notre-Dame district. Built from 1684 to 1686 on the plans of Jules Hardouin Mansart, Notre-Dame is the church of the royal parish, served by the Lazarist Fathers, in charge of nearly 20,000 souls on the eve of the French revolution, i.e. half of the population of Versailles at the time. In 1790, after the vote of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, it became the constitutional cathedral of the new diocese of Seine-et-Oise (former dept now most of Yvelines 78) , without the religious life of the parishioners being profoundly modified: the same church wardens, the same processions and the same offices. Removed from worship in 1793, it was then erected as a Temple of Reason, then Temple of the Supreme Being, where civic festivals were celebrated, including the decadal festivals (festivals of compulsory rest every ten days), suppressed in the revolutionary year VII, (meaning 1797-1798). The Notre-Dame Church was returned to Catholic worship on April 6, 1800.
The Notre Dame Church is voluntarily not very high because the castle must dominate everything in the city. The Choir, the stained glass window of the Coronation of the Virgin In accordance with the wish of Louis XIII of 1638, the church being dedicated to Notre Dame, the axial main chapel is not dedicated to her, but to the Sacred Heart, The Notre-Dame Church has registered all the baptismal, marriage and death certificates of the royal family. notably the baptisms of seven kings of France, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Louis XVII, Louis XVIII, Charles X, Louis XIX and Louis-Philippe I, as well as that of Philippe V of Spain (current line in Spain today by Felipe VI) , the marriages of Louis XVI and Marie- Antoinette, Louis XVIII and Marie-Josephine of Savoy, and Charles X and Marie-Thérèse of Savoy, and the tombs of Louis XIV and Louis XV.
On Monday, May 4, 1789 is an important day for the Church of Notre-Dame de Versailles. It is from there that the procession of the Blessed Sacrament leaves in the direction of the Saint-Louis church with all the deputies for the high mass consecrating the opening of the States General. The French revolution stripped the church of its paintings, goldsmithery and liturgical ornaments. The building becomes Temple of Reason. From this period only the great organ, the pulpit and elements from the altarpiece of the high altar remain. From 1858 to 1872, a rotunda chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart was added to the apse of the church. Between 1854 and 1887, historiated stained glass windows, with strong coloring, take place in all the chapels.
During the 19C, the Notre Dame Church was gradually refurnished and restored. Thus, in 1818, the cenotaph of the Comte de Vergennes, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Louis XVI, was installed there, he who signed the Treaty of Versailles giving independence to the United States in 1783. From 1858 to 1873, a new axial chapel is built. The choir is also completely refurbished. This circular axial chapel takes up the theme of the Marian chapels of the classical period, the most famous of which is that of the Saint-Roch Church (296 rue Saint Honoré) in Paris, built in 1709 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart.
By car, you have closest parking at the Notre Dame market or Place du Marché Notre Dame, however, the in out is very narrow if coming with a bigger car, so suggest use the parking Saint Cloud or 33 Avenue de Saint Cloud, only about a couple blocks from the church. However, the easiest way when coming from Paris on the RER C Château-Rive-Gauche station is to walk to the palace as probably you will see that first, Then, with time from the palace go out past the equestrian statue of Louis XIV and turn left into avenue Rockefeller , continue past ave Saint Cloud ,continue into Place Hoche go around the square and the statue of Gen Hoche, and continue straight on Rue Hoche, until reaching Rue de la Paroisse, the church is facing you ! You can see it from the time you head on Ave Rockefeller really ! Hope it helps.
The official parish Church Notre Dame : https://notredameversailles.fr/
The Versailles tourist office on the Church : https://www.versailles-tourisme.com/eglise-notre-dame.html
The City of Versailles on its heritage, see bottom royal parish Church Notre Dame: https://www.versailles.fr/ma-ville/decouvrir/patrimoine-et-monuments/
There you go folks, a must when visiting Versailles as the history here very much relates to what you see at the Château de Versailles! After all, it was the royal church of the palace for many years! I was lucky to lived by here and see the Collegiate Church Notre Dame in all its splendor on Mass of notoriety attach to all its history. The decorations are very nice as well. Hope you enjoy the post as I!
And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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