L’Eglise Notre-Dame de Calais

The Notre-Dame de Calais church, the oldest in the city, is distinguished by its British-inspired architecture and its Tudor garden, inaugurated in 2016. This is where General de Gaulle was married in 1921. Badly damaged during the war, it has been restored over the decades.

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L’Eglise Notre-Dame de Calais
7 rue Notre Dame - 62100 CALAIS

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A jewel of heritage in the heart of Calais-Nord

Notre-Dame Church is located in the area that was medieval Calais. The most imposing religious building in Calais is the result of several periods of construction since the 13th century.

When the English took possession of Calais in 1347, a church had stood on the site since the early 13th century. The English undertook a significant expansion, aided by Flemish workers. It was in the 17th century that the Chapel of the Virgin and a monumental marble altarpiece were added. A reconstruction of the main portal became necessary after the French Revolution (late 18th century).

Photo of a group of visitors discovering the choir of the Notre Dame church in Calais.

Photo of a close-up of visitors near the choir of Notre Dame Church in Calais

Through the centuries

As early as 1913, the church was listed as a Historical Monument. It was there that Captain Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux, the daughter of prominent citizens of Calais, were married. The church was severely damaged; the imposing bell tower, typical of English religious architecture, had collapsed. The slow reconstruction of the building began in the 1960s.

It was in the 21st century that many interior works were carried out. To reinforce the British character, the Tudor garden was inaugurated in 2016, according to the plans of Caroline Holmes, an eminent specialist in English gardens.

The Tudor Gardens

A group of visitors in the Tudor Garden at the foot of Notre Dame Church in Calais

A close-up of the gazes of the De Gaulle couple's statue in Calais, on the Place d'Armes.

Focus

The marriage of Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux

Notre-Dame Church is also famous for having hosted a significant event in French history: the marriage of Captain Charles de Gaulle to Yvonne Vendroux from Calais. The civil ceremony took place at Calais Town Hall on April 6, 1921, before the religious wedding was celebrated the following day, April 7, 1921, in Notre-Dame Church.

Today, a commemorative stele and a square marked with the Cross of Lorraine in front of the church recall this event. This wedding remains one of the most famous ever celebrated in Calais.

Charles de Gaulle and Calais

A statue of Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux, holding hands, at the foot of the Watchtower in Calais, under a blue sky. The work symbolizes the couple's union in Yvonne's hometown, in front of an iconic historic monument in the city center.

Anecdotes and curiosities

In 1964, Notre-Dame church served as the setting for an important scene of Weekend in Zuydcoote Henri Verneuil's film, one of Jean-Paul Belmondo's first major works, is located here. Nearby, the Tudor Garden, inaugurated in 2016, recalls the English influence on Calais's history. The church also marks the starting point on the continent of the Via Francigena, the famous pilgrimage route linking Canterbury to Rome.

The Via Francigena