Notre Dame de France


Notre Dame de France

An extraordinary church bombed out in the 1940s

Location: 5 Leicester Place, Leicester Square, WC2H 7BX

Description: This extraordinary church was bombed out in the 1940s and almost entirely rebuilt in 1955. With murals depicting an energetic 'annunciation' - care of Jean Cocteau...this really is a special place.

Once he had finished his task, Jean Cocteau was sad to leave : I am sorry to go, as if the wall of the chapel had drawn me into another world.

He went on to comment :

I shall never forget that wide open heart of Notre Dame de France, and the place you allowed me to take within it.

Jean Cocteau wished to be buried in a chapel the chapel of St Blaise of the Simple Ones, at Milly la Fort, near Fontainebleau. He died on 11th October 1963.

Is there a secret message in the mural?

It became a church in 1865 after the church bought the building built as a panorama, a forerunner of the cinema, hence why it's shape is virtually circular.

Tours: Top Ten London Murals

Themes: ChurchChurch Theme  HistoricalHistorical Theme  ArtArt Theme
Notre Dame de France

An extraordinary church bombed out in the 1940s

Ranking This Month: 2210/2918

Pages Hit This Month: 21


Credits: TimeOut - London

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St Olaves Church», 2.1km

Stars & Stripes Spire», 1.1km

Oldest Catholic Church in London», 1.0km

St James Church», 1.3km

St Lawrence Jewry», 1.6km

St. Pancras New Church», 1.0km

Temple Church», 0.8km

Butterfield's Gothic All Saints», 0.5km

St James's Roman Catholic Church», 1.0km

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