• The spire of the Sainte-Thérèse church in Rennes was deposited by a crane on Wednesday, May 24 under the eyes of dozens of curious people.
  • The religious building was the scene of a violent fire in the middle of the summer of 2018.
  • The entire investment, estimated at 780,000 euros, was covered by insurance.

It rose in the blue sky of Rennes this Wednesday morning under the gaze of dozens of curious people. A delicate operation for the crane operator who had to hoist the 16 tons of wood and slate to 60 meters high. Since 8:30 this Wednesday morning, the church of Sainte-Thérèse de Rennes has found its spire. The beautiful stone building was deprived of it since the fire that ravaged the top of its bell tower on the night of July 31 to August 1, 2018. A moving moment for the inhabitants of this residential area of Rennes and for Father Robert Langouët, parish priest. "It's a great emotion to see her up there again. When I saw her land, I almost cried. It's like I'm back to my church. »


And the bells are ringing! Five years after a fire, the church of Sainte-Thérèse de #Rennes has found its spire! The installation was successfully carried out this Wednesday morning! @20Minutes pic.twitter.com/HxrqAsc5HD

— Camille Allain (@CamiAllain) May 24, 2023

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Arriving in 2014, the parish priest was one of the first witnesses to the violent fire that struck the religious building built in 1936. Five years after the incident, the exact reasons for the incident are still unknown. The installation of relay antennas shortly before the disaster is pointed out, but this track is only a hypothesis. Slowed down by a battle of experts, which is still not over, the reconstruction of the spire was carried out by the company Limeul, which reproduced identically the old point of the church classified as a historical monument, simply adding a new cross. "I had almost gotten used to it all along. But I find it more beautiful like that, "says a resident of the neighborhood who came to enjoy the morning show. "What I'm waiting for now is for them to set the clocks straight," she says with a smile.


This will require changing the engines of the clocks that had been damaged by the flames and the water sprayed in quantity by the firefighters to save the church. It will also be necessary to replace a bell damaged by the strong heat released by the fire and which had been ringing false since the fire. Another bell will soon be hoisted into the bell tower. According to Robert Langouët, the entire project should be completed during the summer. The overall bill amounts to 780,000 euros, fully covered by insurance.

  • Rennes
  • Ille-et-Vilaine
  • Brittany
  • Local
  • Church
  • Fire
  • Monument
  • Historical monument
  • Heritage
  • Religion
  • Fire