Saint Catherine’s Church

The Sainte-Catherine church

The Honfleur audio-guided tour leads you to the Sainte-Catherine church, an astonishing monument and the largest wooden church in France, built by the ship's carpenters.

A church built like a ship

The first church, in stone, was destroyed by the English in 1419, during the Hundred Years' War. To rebuild it, for lack of means for stone, the inhabitants called on the know-how of the ship's carpenters of Honfleur. Between 1460 and 1496, these men used to building ships raised this unique edifice, whose framework evokes an immense overturned boat hull. To protect it from fires caused by lightning, they separated the bell tower from the church: this bell tower of twenty-six metres, slightly set back, houses an old clock and a small museum. Listed as a historic monument, the church was restored in the nineteenth century under the direction of Viollet-le-Duc.

What there is to see

The Sainte-Catherine church invites contemplation under its wooden framework in the shape of an overturned hull, a testimony to the genius of the ship's carpenters. Its separate bell tower, its old clock and its small museum complete the visit. In the heart of a square lined with cafés, this singular monument recalls the maritime heritage of Honfleur, a city turned towards the sea since its origins.

Practical information

The Sainte-Catherine church is on the square of the same name, in the centre of Honfleur. A place of worship open to visitors, it is discovered with respect for the services; the opening hours are to be checked on site.

Why is the Sainte-Catherine church made of wood?

After the destruction of the stone church in 1419, the inhabitants rebuilt it in wood, the material that the ship's carpenters mastered best.

Why is the bell tower separated from the church?

To protect the wooden building from the fires that lightning striking the bell tower could cause.