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reFrance : divine cathedrals

Photographic reportage by Sylvain SONNET / hemis.fr

For more than 17 centuries, places of Christian worsip were erectedall over France. At first, simple oratories and shrines, then vastchurches to hold larger and larger congregations, the cathedrals,monasteries, parish churches and small chapels, were built on thesites of pagan worship. All the buildings are part of our sacredheritage. The builders of the Middle Ages challenged the laws ofgravity by erecting Gothic vaults to dizzy heights. Our photographerSylvain Sonnet, seems to be under the influence of a sacredinspiration...

HEMIS_250120 : France, Paris, banks of the Seine river listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, view over the city from Notre Dame Cathedral

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HEMIS_388157France, Aude, Narbonne, Cathedral Saint Just et Saint Pasteur

HEMIS_388156France, Aude, Narbonne, Cathedral Saint Just et Saint Pasteur

HEMIS_388160France, Aude, Narbonne, Saint Just et Saint Pasteur Cathedral

HEMIS_388152France, Aude, Narbonne, Saint Just et Saint Pasteur Cathedral, low relief

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HEMIS_308816France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO,cathedrale Sainte Cecile d'Albi (St Cecilia Cathedral)

HEMIS_354071France, Paris, banks of the Seine River listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Ile de laCite

HEMIS_388042France, Aude, Carcassonne, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, St NazaireBasilica, 16th century painted wooden Pieta

HEMIS_388105France, Var, Frejus, Frejus Cathedral, Madonna and child

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HEMIS_308764France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, polychromy on the vault of the SaintSauveur d'Aix Gothic cathedral(Aix Cathedral)

HEMIS_308754France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, representation of St Peter on the NorthEast pillar of the cloister of Aix Cathedral (Cathedrale Saint Sauveur d'Aix)

HEMIS_308819France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO,Cathedral of Albi, recumbent figure of St Cecilia

HEMIS_319111France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, NotreDame Cathedral, the tympanum

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HEMIS_354093France, Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral

HEMIS_250038France, Nievre, Nevers, Saint Cyr Sainte Julitte Cathedral, Virgin Mary

HEMIS_248008France, Dordogne, Perigord Blanc, Perigueux, Saint Front Byzantine Cathedral, stopon Route of Santiago de Compostela, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Isle River

HEMIS_319174France, Gers, Auch, Sainte Marie Cathedral, stalls detail

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HEMIS_388261 : France, Haute Garonne, Saint Bertrand de Comminges, stop on Route of Santiago de Compostela, listed as World Heritage byUNESCO, Saint Bertrand de Comminges Cathedral

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HEMIS_308782France, Loiret, Orleans, Sainte-Croix d'Orleans Cathedral (Orleans Cathedral),sculpture of the Virgin

HEMIS_319097France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, NotreDame Cathedral, gargoyle

HEMIS_443987France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Siteby UNESCO

HEMIS_443983France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Siteby UNESCO, Rose Window of Main Portal of Reims Cathedral

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HEMIS_443985France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Siteby UNESCO, stained glass window of the cathedral painted by Chagall

HEMIS_443982France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Siteby UNESCO

HEMIS_443986France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Siteby UNESCO, stained glass window of the cathedral painted by Chagall

HEMIS_388022France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral, Ambulatory Vault

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HEMIS_388023France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral

HEMIS_319132France, Haute Vienne, Limoges, St Etienne Cathedral, statues

HEMIS_388257France, Haute Garonne, Saint Bertrand de Comminges, stop on Route of Santiago deCompostela, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Saint Bertrand de CommingesCathedral

HEMIS_389935France, Haute Loire, Le Puy en Velay listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the townis a stopover along the pilgrims'route to Santiago de Compostela, Notre Damecathedral

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HEMIS_308918France, Bouches du Rhone, Arles, St Trophime Church listed as World Heritage byUNESCO, the cloister

HEMIS_388308France, Haute Vienne, Le Dorat, collegiate of St Pierre de Dorat

HEMIS_389937France, Haute Loire, Le Puy en Velay listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the townis a stopover along the pilgrims'route to Santiago de Compostela, Notre Damecathedral

HEMIS_308827France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, chancelof cathedrale Sainte-Cecile d'Albi (St Cecilia Cathedral)

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HEMIS_308793 : France, Indre et Loire, Tours, West facade of cathedrale Saint Gatien de Tours (St Gatien Cathedral)

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HEMIS_308755France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, great organ at Cathedrale Saint Sauveurd'Aix (Aix Cathedral)

HEMIS_308828France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO,cathedrale Sainte Cecile d'Albi (St Cecilia Cathedral)

HEMIS_318938France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as WorldHeritage by UNESCO, ambulatory

HEMIS_308832France, Seine-Maritime, Rouen, escalier dit des libraires, typique du style gothique,Notre Dame de Rouen Cathedral (Our lady of Rouen Cathedral), stair

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HEMIS_318946France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as WorldHeritage by UNESCO

HEMIS_318939France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as WorldHeritage by UNESCO, the Black Virgin

HEMIS_318935France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as WorldHeritage by UNESCO, astronomical clock

HEMIS_318943France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as WorldHeritage by UNESCO, ambulatory

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HEMIS_354014France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO,Christmas decoration in front of the cathedral

HEMIS_354243France, Essonne, Evry, Evry Cathedral (Cathedrale de la Resurrection d'Evry) by thearchitect Mario Botta

HEMIS_354248France, Essonne, Evry, Evry Cathedral (Cathedrale de la Resurrection d'Evry) by thearchitect Mario Botta

HEMIS_388012France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral, Astronomical Clock

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HEMIS_388020France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral, Stained Glass on South Transept

HEMIS_388062France, Manche, Coutances, the cathedral, the altar

HEMIS_388046France, Aude, Carcassonne, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, St NazaireBasilica, gargoyle

HEMIS_388070France, Manche, Coutances, the cathedral

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HEMIS_318934 : France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, ambulatory

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HEMIS_388039France, Lot, Cahors, St Etienne Cathedral, detail low relief

HEMIS_319133France, Bouches du Rhone, Arles, St Trophime Church listed as World Heritage byUNESCO

HEMIS_319062France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, NotreDame Cathedral

HEMIS_319079France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, NotreDame Cathedral, rose-window

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HEMIS_308767France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, West facade of Saint Sauveur d'AixCathedral (Aix Cathedral)

HEMIS_308698France, Bouches du Rhone, Marseille, La Major Cathedral

HEMIS_308697France, Seine Maritime, Rouen, Notre Dame de Rouen Cathedral (Our lady of RouenCathedral), detail of Tour de Beurre

HEMIS_308694France, Loiret, Orleans, cathedrale Sainte-Croix d'Orleans (Orleans Cathedral),architectural detail of the South tower of the West facade

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HEMIS_308553France, Cher, Bourges, Saint Etienne de Bourges Cathedral, listed as World Heritageby UNESCO

HEMIS_250032France, Nievre, Nevers, Saint Cyr Sainte Julitte Cathedral

HEMIS_308723France, Moselle, Metz, cathedrale Saint-Etienne (St Stephen's cathedral), Chapel ofBlessed Sacrament, sculpture of Christ

HEMIS_250042France, Nievre, Nevers, bridge over Loire River, with Saint Cyr Sainte JulitteCathedral in the background

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HEMIS_268552France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, NotreDame Cathedral, the Astronomical Clock

HEMIS_308552France, Cher, Bourges, Saint Etienne de Bourges Cathedral, listed as World Heritageby UNESCO

HEMIS_319148France, Moselle, Metz, St Stephen's Cathedral, transepts cross

HEMIS_354018France, Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral

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HEMIS_319107 : France, Paris, banks of the Seine River listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Ile de la Cite, Notre Dame Cathedral

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HEMIS_388026France, Lot, Cahors, St Etienne Cathedral

HEMIS_388107France, Var, Frejus, Frejus Cathedral

HEMIS_388048France, Aude, Carcassonne, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, St Nazaire Basilica

HEMIS_388120France, Haute Loire, Le Puy en Velay, stop on Route of Santiago de Compostela,listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Notre Dame du Puy cathedral

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HEMIS_388251France, Haute Garonne, Toulouse, a stop on el Camino de Santiago, listed as WorldHeritage by UNESCO, Saint Sernin Basilica

HEMIS_388246France, Haute Garonne, Toulouse, a stop on el Camino de Santiago, listed as WorldHeritage by UNESCO, Saint Sernin Basilica, the altar

HEMIS_388254France, Haute Garonne, Saint Bertrand de Comminges, stop on Route of Santiago deCompostela, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Saint Bertrand de CommingesCathedral, the cloister

HEMIS_389938France, Haute Loire, Le Puy en Velay, stop on Route of Santiago de Compostela,listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Notre Dame cathedral

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