Notre-Dame-de-Victoire, Lorient

Notre-Dame-de-Victoire is a parish church in Lorient featuring a 54-meter concrete bell tower and a 24-meter-diameter dome rising above a 26-meter-high nave. The building combines modern design with substantial proportions that shape the city's skyline.

After Saint Louis Church was destroyed in 1943 during World War II, architect Jean-Baptiste Hourlier designed this replacement, completed in 1955. The new building represented Lorient's reconstruction following wartime devastation.

The church displays a fresco by Nicolas Untersteller showing Mary's coronation, and a statue of the Virgin by René Letourneur at the entrance. These artworks shape how visitors experience the interior and reflect local artistic contributions to worship.

Visitors can climb 270 steps to reach the bell tower's top, the highest point in the city with sweeping views. The ascent requires physical effort but provides a reward of seeing Lorient from above.

The dome's ceiling features a star pattern with varied textures created by specific concrete forming techniques. These casting details reveal the craftsmanship invested in the building's modern design.

Location: Lorient

Inception: 1955

Architects: Jean-Baptiste Hourlier

GPS coordinates: 47.74950,-3.36074

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:45