Saint Cross Church

You arrive on the forecourt of the beautiful Saint Cross church elegantly set in the heart of Bouffay district, where it has been the parish since the 12th century. Its harmonious white facade is built in the Jesuit style, an artistic movement born of the Catholic Counter-Reformation and close to Baroque art. It was in this church that young Jules Verne was baptised on 8 February 1828. A priory of Benedictine monks was already here in the 11th century, followed by a church, which began to crumble in 1669. This explains the construction of the new building that you are now looking at. During the French Revolution, the Saint Cross church became the property of the nation and was used as a prison. Step back to take a look at the building as a whole, as one of the unique features of Saint Cross church is perched at its top. Look at the tower, it is topped by a clock surmounted by a dormer window, in which a circle of angels playing trumpets is depicted. This set was added in 1860 and comes from the former city belfry, the Bouffay tower, which used to be located 50 m below. This tower is an important remnant of Nantes’ history. Rebuilt in 1664 and demolished in 1848, it is all that remains of the old Bouffay castle, hastily built in the 10th century after the disastrous Viking invasion. The fortress outlived its usefulness after the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany was built, and was converted into a courthouse in 1551, before finally being demolished in 1843. That’s why it was so important not to lose this magnificent belfry. You can take a look inside the church to discover the many ex-votos lining the walls, in veneration of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours. You can also take the Saint Cross passage, whose entrance can be seen to the right of the cathedral. Opened from Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 6.30pm, it crosses the former monks’ priory and, thanks to its large glass roof, you can see the Saint Cross belfry more closely.