Église Saint-Martin de Villers-sur-Mer, 19th-century Neo-Gothic church in Villers-sur-Mer, France.
Église Saint-Martin in Villers-sur-Mer is a Neo-Gothic church built of light tan limestone from Caen or Ranville, on a Latin cross plan. A square, flat-topped tower with lancet windows, pinnacles and a balustrade rises on the left; the main body has a steep dark slate roof, repeated pointed-arch windows and a gable end with a large traceried window and rose above vertical lights.
A church dedicated to Saint Martin already stood here before the 19th century, with an 11th-century nave and a 13th-century choir. In June 1865 the parish council decided to rebuild, as the old church had become too small for the growing seaside resort, and chose Aimar Lavalley-Duperroux, a pupil of Viollet-le-Duc. The first stone was laid on 18 September 1872 by Flavien Hugonin, Bishop of Bayeux and Lisieux, and the work was paid for by the people of Villers, collections, gifts and loans from wealthy families.
The church is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours and Saint Stephen; a restored wooden statue of Saint Martin greets visitors under the entrance porch. It serves the parish of Saint-Sauveur-de-la-Côte-Fleurie in the Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux, with Mass celebrated every Sunday and sometimes on weekdays.
Access is typically available, and the building has been protected as a historical monument since 2006. Visitors should know that opening hours may vary depending on parish activities, so it is helpful to contact the local parish community to arrange visits.
The 51 stained-glass windows were made in three campaigns by the Duhamel-Marette workshop, and it was this set of windows, cited for its quality, that largely earned the church its 2006 listing as a monument historique.
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