Saint-Etienne du Mont © French Moments - Paris 2
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Last Updated: 29 February 2020

The Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church is a Gothic sanctuary located Place Sainte-Geneviève next to the Panthéon in the 5th arrondissement.


Built between 1492 and 1626, the sanctuary was intended to accommodate the growth of the neighbouring abbey of St. Geneviève and parish of St. Étienne.

The impressive façade is made up of three superimposed Renaissance pediments flanked by the soaring belfry from the 16th century. It stands at odd with the classical architecture of Panthéon.

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont © French Moments
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont © French Moments

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is notorious for its rood screen (jubé), the only one to be found in Paris.

The rood-screen inside Saint-Étienne-du-Mont © French Moments
The rood-screen inside Saint-Étienne-du-Mont © French Moments

Most of the church’s stained-glass windows date between the 16th and 17th centuries and those from the ambulatory and chancel are of note.

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont 05 © French Moments
Stained-glass window representing Saint-Étienne-du-Mont © French Moments

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont houses the shrine of Sainte-Geneviève, Paris’ Patron Saint, and the remains of French writers Racine and Pascal.

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont 04 © French Moments
St. Geneviève’s shrine in Saint-Étienne-du-Mont Church © French Moments

Gems of Paris by French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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