Saint Fermin
Paul Cathelain
80550 Le Crotoy
Church | XVIe | Neogothic | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 May - 31 October
Mon 9.00 - 19.00
Tue 9.00 - 19.00
Wed 9.00 - 19.00
Thu 9.00 - 19.00
Fri 9.00 - 19.00
Sat 9.00 - 19.00
Sun 9.00 - 19.00
01 November - 30 November
Mon 10.00 - 17.00
Tue 10.00 - 17.00
Wed 10.00 - 17.00
Thu 10.00 - 17.00
Fri 10.00 - 17.00
Sat 10.00 - 17.00
Sun 10.00 - 17.00
Description
In the heart of the Baie de Somme nature reserve, between the coastal river Maye and the ‘foraines’ of Saint-Firmin, the village of Berteaucourt – which would later take the name Saint-Firmin-lès-Crotoy – became a holiday resort very early on. As early as the 5th century, Regnacaire, a Frankish chieftain close to Clovis, is said to have owned a country house on these lands, which were later established as a seigneury.
Saint-Firmin Church is first recorded in the 12th century. A watercolour painted in 1850 by Oswald Macqueron, held at the Abbeville library, depicts the building with its Romanesque nave. The nave is shown to be lower than the chancel. The whole structure is built of sandstone, notably the porch tower, topped by a bulbous bell tower dating from the 16th century, which constitutes the oldest part of the present building.
A fire in 1901 devastated the church, which was subsequently rebuilt: the roof of the nave was raised to match that of the chancel, and the nave was rebuilt in brick in the Neo-Gothic style, which was then in vogue.
Today, the Association for the Preservation of the Two Churches, in partnership with the local council, works to preserve and showcase this rich religious heritage. Through a variety of events, tours, activities and concerts, it helps to bring this historic site to life and enable people to discover it.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Photos
Remarkable elements
Saint Firmin
Saint Firmin of Amiens, the city’s first bishop in the 3rd century, was a missionary from Spain. He is said to have preached in northern Gaul before being arrested during the Roman persecutions. Refusing to renounce his faith, he was martyred around 303. His cult grew rapidly in Picardy, where he became one of the principal patron saints.
Stained-glass windows
The narrative stained-glass windows, restored in 2025, date mainly from 1870. Some, of a later date, come from the Cagnard workshop in Amiens, led by the glass painter Raoul Cagnard.
On the north side, they depict several Marian figures, including the rare Divine Shepherdess, Our Lady of Boulogne and Our Lady of Lourdes.
On the south side are various saints such as Saint Hubert and Saint Anthony.
In the choir are depicted Saint Firmin, the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist.
Architecture of the choir
The choir features more than twelve remarkable keystones in bas-relief. The four evangelists can be recognised by their symbols: the ox (Luke), the man (Matthew), the eagle (John) and the lion (Mark). They are accompanied by a radiant sun with a human face, a medieval motif associated with the Resurrection of Christ. Saint Anthony and his pig are also depicted, as well as angels holding scrolls or trumpets.
Neo-Gothic furnishings
The church retains a cohesive set of Neo-Gothic furnishings: a stone baptismal font, a pulpit carved with the figures of the Evangelists, a communion rail (separating the chancel from the nave), a high altar depicting the twelve apostles, and side altars dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Firmin.
The ornamentation of the pinnacles, so characteristic of the style, emphasises the vertical aesthetic typical of this style.
Funeral slabs
Several 18th-century tombstones are preserved in the church and remain legible, such as that of Louis France. Burial inside the church was a privilege reserved for clergy and certain lords, founders or benefactors. However, lay people could also be admitted, in exchange for a life of devotion and a bequest. The plots closest to the altar or the chapels were the most sought-after.
Statue of Saint Eloi
At the entrance to the nave stands a plaster statue of Saint Eloi as a bishop, recognisable by his anvil. Dating from the 19th century, it is now listed as a Historic Monument.
