This is an icon of Honfleur, and uniquely boat roof in wood only one in France! This is my beloved Honfleur and its main church. We make it a must to stop by each time in town and it has been many luckily! Again by my beloved city of Honfleur, in the Calvados dept 14 of the region of Normandie, and in my belle France. I have written so much on this city in my blog over the years, and even sometimes repeated but to me its all worth it. If you have read my blog… I found new pictures to the blog in my cd rom vault and they should be here, The Church Sainte Catherine by the old basin or port of Honfleur is always gratifying. It offers a unique architectural experience and loving history of the locals, hard earned traditions and just a positive feeling all around it. Therefore, here is my take again on the Church Sainte Catherine of Honfleur, part IV !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I,
The Church Sainte-Catherine has the particularity, very rare in France, to be built essentially of wood. The church is located near the old basin (Vieux Bassin) , just behind the Quai Sainte-Catherine. It is the largest Church built in wood with a bell-tower separated from it in France. This choice of material is due to the lack of resources of the inhabitants of the time. But with a drawback, the local Honfleurais were able to make it an asset. With their knowledge of shipbuilding, they built the church, with two separate naves, in the manner of a ship, with the help of wood from the forest of Touques. The result is breathtaking. Not to be missed.
The plan of the Church Sainte Catherine is, until the birth of the sanctuary finished by cut sides, that of a vast parallelogram, divided, inside, in two parallel naves, accompanied by very narrow aisles. The upper windows are square, with two trilobed ogival berries. The aisles, built in half-timbered, are pierced with windows, also square, with two berries, slightly curved in the upper part. The supervision of the windows as well as the central mole which divides them and the support on which they rest are decorated with moldings characteristic of the time. Wooden posts received the entraits and supported the full weight of the frame, which looked like a forest. The vessel is divided inside, as we have said, in two parallel naves, about the same width, flanked by very narrow and very low collaterals, the vault of which is formed by a quarter of the circle.
At the end of the northern nave rises a magnificent altar with twisted columns in the Louis XIV style. This altar, which attracts looks by its gracious proportions, and the richness of its ornamentation, was executed in Rouen, as evidenced by a curious quote. This of us teaches that this altar once adorned the chapel of the Rosary of the Saint Catherine church. It was produced between 1669 and 1670. The Church is dedicated to Sainte Catherine of Alexandria as recalled by a wooden sculpture above the porch of the bell-tower separated from the two naves. She is depicted wearing a wheel and a sword.
The City of Honfleur on the Church Sainte Catherine : https://www.ville-honfleur.com/decouvrir-honfleur/honfleur-et-son-patrimoine/leglise-sainte-catherine-et-son-clocher/
The Honfleur tourist office on the church and neighborhood Sainte Catherine: https://www.ot-honfleur.fr/en/Honfleur/unmissable-in-honfleur/saint-catherine-church/
The Parish of Honfleur on its churches : http://www.paroisse-honfleur.com/churchs.html#haut
The Normandie region tourist office on Honfleur: https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/unmissable-sites/honfleur/things-to-do/
There you go folks, one more time by Honfleur, it is indeed a gem I said, a must to see ,I said. Enough me think , now its up to you. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Church Sainte Catherine of Honfleur, part IV as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 