Sacré-Cœur Basilica Paris France

Sacre Couer Paris/ G Sutton 2012

Sacré-Cœur (Sacred heart of Jesus) is a Basilica on Montmartre (Mount of Martyrs) in Paris, France. The hill was an ancient place of worship for Druids and then for the Romans and their gods. Christians also built religious places on this hill.

The current church was built in the 1800s. The official website describes the style as Romano-Byzantine.

In addition to visiting the basilica, the mount offers a variety of eateries, interesting shops along the nearby streets, and great views of the city.

My photos were taken 9 March 2012.

Paris from Montmartre/2012/ G Sutton

Paris view from Montmartre/ 2012/ G Sutton

Church of Saint-Pierre Caen Normandy France

The Church of Saint-Pierre is a Catholic church on the Place Saint-Pierre in the center of Caen in Normandy, which is in northern France.

The church was founded in the 900s. The current church was built between the 1200s to the 1500s.


Google map reference https://goo.gl/maps/fMNzWexZzh33Zi5s5


Recently, the church was open at 8 a.m. weekdays.

Check the website for more information: https://sites.google.com/site/saintpierrecaen/home

Notre Dame Paris France

Notre Dame 10 March 2012 / G Sutton

It is a sad day this 15 April, 2019—a day when Notre Dame is burning before our eyes. As I write, the spire and roof have fallen and the smoke on this 850 year old cathedral rises (BBC).

It is difficult to know the extent of the damage, but one can surely hope its grandeur will be restored so future generations can appreciate the craft, beauty, and devotion of those who created such a magnificent edifice as an expression of their faith.

Notre Dame (aka Our Lady) is located on a small island (Ile de la Cite) in the River Seine. Construction began in 1163 when Louis VII was the king of France. The remarkable gothic structure was completed two centuries later.

Below is a brief clip from a service when we visited 10 March 2012-- just a year before the 850 year celebrations. The video is limited in scope due to the crowd but you can see it is a living church and you get a sense of the music, which of course sounded much better in person.