Thousands of churches endangered in France

Heritage: Sports hall, cultural venue or brewery... Churches are being resurrected under different skies

Resurrection - Former culture minister Roselyne Bachelot recently suggested razing "small, uninteresting churches" rather than spending money on renovations

"We must resolve to raze to the ground small churches without heritage interest". The idea suggested by Roselyne Bachelot in her latest book has provoked the ire of many believers. This proposal is not about attacking religion, but rather about relieving the state of expensive maintenance and restoration work.

Although the decline in the number of people attending religious buildings is undeniable (decline in the number of worshippers, regrouping of communes, etc.), many French people, even non-believers, have spoken out against this idea, arguing that churches are part of the heritage of our towns and villages.

2,500 to 5,000 churches at risk of abandonment or destruction by 2030

France has nearly 45,000 churches in its territory, according to the government website vie-publique.fr, of which 40,000 belong to the local councils, since all those built before the 1905 law separating the Churches and the State have been returned to the latter.

According to a parliamentary report on the state of religious heritage in France, published in July 2022, between 2,500 and 5,000 churches are closed and at risk of abandonment, destruction or sale by 2030. 

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