Saint Nicholas Church, Romanesque church in Blois, France

Saint Nicholas Church in Blois is the former abbey church of Saint-Laumer, built from 1107 and completed in the early 13th century. Its light grey masonry is pierced by tall arched windows and arched buttresses. The west front has two square towers with paired arched openings and circular windows; their slate spires, added in 1877 and 1899, rise to 70.72 m and 71.07 m.

Construction of the church began in 1138 and continued through the 13th century, reflecting the religious growth happening across the region. The building process took over 100 years, showing how long such major projects could last.

The church keeps the name Saint-Nicolas only since 1792, when the parish and title of the demolished medieval church of that name were transferred here; the building was the abbey church of Saint-Laumer. In the Middle Ages it held relics of Saint Lubin, Saint Laumer, Mary of Egypt and a fragment of the Cross, drawing pilgrims.

The church is open to visitors year-round, though it is currently undergoing extensive restoration work. Keep in mind that some areas may be restricted while preservation efforts take place.

The two west towers are topped with slate spires added only in the second half of the 19th century, by M. de Baudot: 1877 for the south tower and 1899 for the north. The north spire reaches 71.07 m, just 35 cm taller than the south one at 70.72 m.