Photographic reportage by Sylvain SONNET / hemis.fr
Feature
France : divine cathedrals
For more than 17 centuries, places of Christian worsip were erected all over France. At first, simple oratories and shrines, then vast churches to hold larger and larger congregations, the cathedrals, monasteries, parish churches and small chapels, were built on the sites of pagan worship. All the buildings are part of our sacred heritage. The builders of the Middle Ages challenged the laws of gravity by erecting Gothic vaults to dizzy heights. Our photographer Sylvain Sonnet, seems to be under the influence of a sacred inspiration...
HEMIS_250120 : France, Paris, banks of the Seine river listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, view over the city from Notre Dame Cathedral Page 3 / 25
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France, Aude, Narbonne, Cathedral Saint Just et Saint Pasteur
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France, Aude, Narbonne, Saint Just et Saint Pasteur Cathedral
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France, Aude, Narbonne, Cathedral Saint Just et Saint Pasteur
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France, Aude, Narbonne, Saint Just et Saint Pasteur Cathedral, low relief
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France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, cathedrale Sainte Cecile d'Albi (St Cecilia Cathedral)
HEMIS_388042
France, Aude, Carcassonne, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, St Nazaire Basilica, 16th century painted wooden Pieta
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France, Paris, banks of the Seine River listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Ile de la Cite
HEMIS_388105
France, Var, Frejus, Frejus Cathedral, Madonna and child
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France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, polychromy on the vault of the Saint Sauveur d'Aix Gothic cathedral(Aix Cathedral)
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France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Cathedral of Albi, recumbent figure of St Cecilia
HEMIS_308754
France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, representation of St Peter on the North East pillar of the cloister of Aix Cathedral (Cathedrale Saint Sauveur d'Aix)
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France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Notre Dame Cathedral, the tympanum
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France, Paris, the Notre Dame Cathedral
HEMIS_248008
France, Nievre, Nevers, Saint Cyr Sainte Julitte Cathedral, Virgin Mary
France, Dordogne, Perigord Blanc, Perigueux, Saint Front Byzantine Cathedral, stop on Route of Santiago de Compostela, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Isle River
HEMIS_319174
France, 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 by UNESCO, Saint Bertrand de Comminges Cathedral
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France, Loiret, Orleans, Sainte-Croix d'Orleans Cathedral (Orleans Cathedral), sculpture of the Virgin
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France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO
HEMIS_319097
France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Notre Dame Cathedral, gargoyle
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France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Rose Window of Main Portal of Reims Cathedral
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France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, stained glass window of the cathedral painted by Chagall
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France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, stained glass window of the cathedral painted by Chagall
HEMIS_443982
France, Marne, Reims, Notre Dame de Reims cathedral, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO
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France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral, Ambulatory Vault
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France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral
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France, Haute Vienne, Limoges, St Etienne Cathedral, statues
France, Haute Garonne, Saint Bertrand de Comminges, stop on Route of Santiago de Compostela, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Saint Bertrand de Comminges Cathedral
HEMIS_389935
France, Haute Loire, Le Puy en Velay listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the town is a stopover along the pilgrims'route to Santiago de Compostela, Notre Dame cathedral
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France, Bouches du Rhone, Arles, St Trophime Church listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the cloister
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France, Haute Loire, Le Puy en Velay listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the town is a stopover along the pilgrims'route to Santiago de Compostela, Notre Dame cathedral
HEMIS_388308
France, Haute Vienne, Le Dorat, collegiate of St Pierre de Dorat
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France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, chancel of 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) Page 13 / 25
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France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, great organ at Cathedrale Saint Sauveur d'Aix (Aix Cathedral)
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France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, ambulatory
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France, Tarn, Albi, the episcopal city, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, cathedrale Sainte Cecile d'Albi (St Cecilia Cathedral)
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France, 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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France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO
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France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, astronomical clock
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France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, the Black Virgin
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France, Eure et Loir, Chartres, Notre Dame de Chartres Cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, ambulatory
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France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Christmas decoration in front of the cathedral
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France, Essonne, Evry, Evry Cathedral (Cathedrale de la Resurrection d'Evry) by the architect Mario Botta
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France, Essonne, Evry, Evry Cathedral (Cathedrale de la Resurrection d'Evry) by the architect Mario Botta
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France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral, Astronomical Clock
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France, Oise, Beauvais, St Pierre Cathedral, Stained Glass on South Transept
HEMIS_388046
France, Manche, Coutances, the cathedral, the altar
France, Aude, Carcassonne, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, St Nazaire Basilica, gargoyle
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France, 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 Page 18 / 25
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France, Lot, Cahors, St Etienne Cathedral, detail low relief
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France, Bouches du Rhone, Arles, St Trophime Church listed as World Heritage by UNESCO
France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Notre Dame Cathedral
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France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Notre Dame Cathedral, rose-window
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France, Bouches du Rhone, Aix en Provence, West facade of Saint Sauveur d'Aix Cathedral (Aix Cathedral)
HEMIS_308697
France, Seine Maritime, Rouen, Notre Dame de Rouen Cathedral (Our lady of Rouen Cathedral), detail of Tour de Beurre
HEMIS_308698
France, Bouches du Rhone, Marseille, La Major Cathedral
HEMIS_308694
France, Loiret, Orleans, cathedrale Sainte-Croix d'Orleans (Orleans Cathedral), architectural detail of the South tower of the West facade
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France, Cher, Bourges, Saint Etienne de Bourges Cathedral, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO
HEMIS_308723
France, Moselle, Metz, cathedrale Saint-Etienne (St Stephen's cathedral), Chapel of Blessed Sacrament, sculpture of Christ
HEMIS_250032
France, Nievre, Nevers, Saint Cyr Sainte Julitte Cathedral
HEMIS_250042
France, Nievre, Nevers, bridge over Loire River, with Saint Cyr Sainte Julitte Cathedral in the background
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France, Bas Rhin, Strasbourg, old town listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Astronomical Clock
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France, Moselle, Metz, St Stephen's Cathedral, transepts cross
HEMIS_308552
France, Cher, Bourges, Saint Etienne de Bourges Cathedral, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO
HEMIS_354018
France, 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 Page 23 / 25
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HEMIS_388107
France, Lot, Cahors, St Etienne Cathedral
HEMIS_388048
France, Var, Frejus, Frejus Cathedral
France, Aude, Carcassonne, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, St Nazaire Basilica
HEMIS_388120
France, 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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France, Haute Garonne, Toulouse, a stop on el Camino de Santiago, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Saint Sernin Basilica
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France, Haute Garonne, Saint Bertrand de Comminges, stop on Route of Santiago de Compostela, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Saint Bertrand de Comminges Cathedral, the cloister
HEMIS_388246
France, Haute Garonne, Toulouse, a stop on el Camino de Santiago, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, Saint Sernin Basilica, the altar
HEMIS_389938
France, 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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