Notre-Dame Church of Pontorson (Église Notre-Dame de Pontorson)
About Notre-Dame Church of Pontorson (Église Notre-Dame de Pontorson)
Notre-Dame Church of Pontorson is a Romanesque granite church built in the 11th-12th centuries by craftsmen who also constructed Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey. According to legend, William the Conqueror commissioned this church to thank the Virgin Mary for saving his army from the treacherous quicksands of the Couesnon River—an event depicted both in a stained-glass window inside the church and on the Bayeux Tapestry. The western facade features two sculpted Romanesque turrets, considered unique in Europe by architectural historians. Inside, visitors can see the Saint-Sauveur Chapel with its 15th-century white stone altarpiece depicting 22 scenes from Christ's life, though the figures were decapitated during the Wars of Religion and French Revolution. The church has been classified as a French Historical Monument since 1889. A major restoration completed in 2021 restored the bell tower, roofing, and stained-glass windows.
Interesting Facts
During the French Revolution, locals saved a precious 18th-century wooden statue of the Virgin Mary by disguising it with a Phrygian cap and presenting it as "Marianne," the symbol of the Republic. The statue survived the revolutionary iconoclasm and can still be seen in the church today.
The mysterious sculpture on the south entrance tympanum shows a bird pecking at a man's skull. While some interpret this as a representation of Prometheus being punished by an eagle, others believe it depicts a pelican—a medieval Christian symbol of self-sacrifice, as pelicans were believed to feed their young with their own blood.
The 2018-2021 restoration project cost €1.39 million and required dismantling the entire roof structure. Workers discovered that some granite floor stones came from the medieval cemetery that once surrounded the church, with several stones still bearing carved dates from centuries past.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
21 Rue Notre-Dame, 50170 Pontorson, France