Take a look around-see that tall tower, stretching high above the trees and everything else on the Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle? That’s your giveaway! You’re searching for a steeple so tall, it makes giraffes jealous. Look up, and you’ll spot a majestic, almost theatrical church front, complete with an impressive iron cross, perched like the cherry on top of a very tall ecclesiastical sundae.
Now, here you are, right in front of the Sainte-Perpetuation and St. Felicite Church. Imagine standing in Nîmes in the 1850s: horses trotting along the boulevard, the clink of stone on stone as workers build this magnificent church. Built when Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte himself was laying foundation stones, this is no ordinary church. The architect, Léon Feuchère, wanted everyone to look up and say, “Wow!”-and with a steeple shooting 71 meters into the sky, topped with an iron cross that's almost the size of a small car, it’s hard not to be impressed!
Step closer and you can almost feel the dizzying height of the nave, soaring over 20 meters above your head. No one ever came here with a fear of heights, that’s for sure. The interior, once finished in 1864, was covered in beautiful decorations by Joseph Felon and Colin-the same artists who worked at the nearby prefecture. Imagine the excitement of the townsfolk, waiting years for the walls and windows to be finished, finally filling the church with whispers and candlelight.
And here’s a little secret: if this church were a person at a costume party, it would definitely win best dressed for its eclectic Second Empire style. It’s got every flourish, every dramatic touch you could want. If these walls could talk, they might just sing a hymn or two-but for now, listen to the wind swirling around that iron cross, and imagine all the celebrations and stories echoing through these stones.
Alright, ready to head to the next stop? Let’s keep exploring.
