Notre-Dame Church of Epernay

You’re now standing in front of Épernay’s main church—Notre-Dame. Construction began in 1897 on the site of a former Ursuline convent, and the project was overseen by Paul Selmersheim, the chief architect for Historic Monuments at the time. The church was completed in 1915, but it didn’t have much time to stand in peace. During World War I, it was badly damaged by bombing and had to be restored shortly afterward. As part of the restoration, stained glass windows were added—many of which came from the old Saint-Martin Abbey Church, which once stood nearby before being demolished during the French Revolution. So some of the windows you see here actually date back to the 16th century. If you’re curious, step inside to take a closer look. The interior is simple but elegant, and houses a beautiful pipe organ that’s been officially classified as a Historic Monument—it too came from the former Saint-Martin church. And if you look up, you’ll see the church’s bell tower rising 83 meters high, making it the tallest point in the entire city.