ORGANS OF PARIS © 2026 Vincent Hildebrandt HOME ALL ORGANS
Saint-Laurent was founded at the end of the 5th
century, outside Paris's walls, near a monastery
that welcomed pilgrims heading to Saint-Denis
Abbey. It sits along the Roman road linking Paris
to Senlis, Soissons, and Trier, passing through
the La Chapelle pass.
The current building dates to 1429 but wasn't
completed until the 19th century. The nave and
chancel, built from the 15th to 17th centuries,
feature flamboyant Gothic style with some added
classical elements.
During the Revolution, it was taken from Catholic
worship to become a Temple of Reason in 1793.
According to brothers Lazare and Jacques
Hillairet, it was renamed the "Temple of Hymen
and Fidelity." It returned to Catholic use in 1795,
went to theophilanthropists in 1797, became the
Temple of Old Age the next year, and was
Catholic again by 1800.
Under the Second Empire, the boulevards of
Magenta (1855) and Strasbourg (1852) were cut
through. With Saint-Laurent set back from
Boulevard de Strasbourg, its 17th-century facade
was demolished. Between 1863 and 1867,
architect Simon-Claude Constant-Dufeux
extended it by one bay and rebuilt a neo-Gothic
facade (neo-13th-century style) with sculptures.
He also added a lead spire. In 1870, a pediment
in enameled lava by Paul Balze crowned the
whole thing.
E2
Records show a gallery organ existed as early as 1550, but it was
only around the mid-17th century that the current instrument
was completed—still housed in its magnificent Louis XIII case by
an unknown maker.
1682-1685
Rebuilt in two phases by builders François Ducastel and his son
Hippolyte. Expanded to 37 stops across 4 manuals with an
exceptionally wide 41-note pedalboard (today's standard: 32
notes).
1725
Overhauled by Collard, with the pitch lowered by a half-step.
1766-67
Complete rebuild by François-Henri Clicquot. 37 stops on 4
manuals and pedal.
1836-37
Restored by Louis Callinet (including new Montre pipes).
1844
Suret added a Bombarde to the Grand Orgue and a Clairon to
the Positif.
1864-67
Nave extended by two bays; new gallery built using old panels.
Merklin-Schütze rebuilt the organ, reusing some existing stops
in a new structure, with much of the old pipework incorporated.
1899/1911
In 1899, Cavaillé-Coll tuned and regulated it; Mutin did another
overhaul in 1911.
1941-42
Jacquot-Lavergne modified the instrumental setup. The Positif
expressif was emptied and moved to the main case; 5 new stops
added to the chests (2 on Positif, 3 on Récit). The new Positif
went into an enclosed expressive box with tubular-pneumatic
action.
1992-95
Latest restoration by Renaud, reconstructing the stoplist in
Merklin's spirit (Positif pipes returned to their original case).
The main organ at Saint-Laurent has a unique character from
blending elements across its history. Its core remains Clicquot's, with
a French Grand Jeu evoking the splendor of the Grand Siècle, while
Merklin's tonal mastery subtly fused all these layers from successive
eras.
Site of the organ
Titular organist
Béatrice Piertot et Ann Dominique Merlet
Organistes célèbres ayant illustré l’orgue par le
passé: Nicolas-Jean- Pierre Chauvet (1778-1804)
Parish website
Vidéos
Béatrice Piertot and Ann Dominique Merlet
Photos
Buffet : Jeroen de Haan
Eglise: Vincent Hildebrandt
1650 - Buffet (1)
1685 - Ducastel (3)
1725 - Collard (6)
1767 - Clicquot (3a)
1837 - Callinet (5)
1844 - Suret (5)
1867 - Merklin (3a)
1899/1911 - Mutin (6)
1942 - Jacquot-lavergne (3a)
1995 - Renaud (4)
III/40 - mechanical traction
Stoplist
The organs of Paris
ORGANS OF PARIS © 2026 Vincent Hildebrandt ALL ORGANS
E2
Records show a gallery organ existed as early as 1550, but it
was only around the mid-17th century that the current
instrument was completed—still housed in its magnificent
Louis XIII case by an unknown maker.
1682-1685
Rebuilt in two phases by builders François Ducastel and his
son Hippolyte. Expanded to 37 stops across 4 manuals with
an exceptionally wide 41-note pedalboard (today's standard:
32 notes).
1725
Overhauled by Collard, with the pitch lowered by a half-step.
1766-67
Complete rebuild by François-Henri Clicquot. 37 stops on 4
manuals and pedal.
1836-37
Restored by Louis Callinet (including new Montre pipes).
1844
Suret added a Bombarde to the Grand Orgue and a Clairon to
the Positif.
1864-67
Nave extended by two bays; new gallery built using old
panels. Merklin-Schütze rebuilt the organ, reusing some
existing stops in a new structure, with much of the old
pipework incorporated.
1899/1911
In 1899, Cavaillé-Coll tuned and regulated it; Mutin did
another overhaul in 1911.
1941-42
Jacquot-Lavergne modified the instrumental setup. The
Positif expressif was emptied and moved to the main case; 5
new stops added to the chests (2 on Positif, 3 on Récit). The
new Positif went into an enclosed expressive box with
tubular-pneumatic action.
1992-95
Latest restoration by Renaud, reconstructing the stoplist in
Merklin's spirit (Positif pipes returned to their original case).
The main organ at Saint-Laurent has a unique character from
blending elements across its history. Its core remains Clicquot's,
with a French Grand Jeu evoking the splendor of the Grand Siècle,
while Merklin's tonal mastery subtly fused all these layers from
successive eras.
Site of the organ
Titular organist
Béatrice Piertot et Ann Dominique Merlet
Organistes célèbres ayant illustré l’orgue par le passé: Nicolas-
Jean- Pierre Chauvet (1778-1804)
Parish website
Vidéos
Béatrice Piertot and Ann Dominique Merlet
Photos
Buffet : Jeroen de Haan
Eglise: Vincent Hildebrandt
1650 - Buffet (1)
1685 - Ducastel (3)
1725 - Collard (6)
1767 - Clicquot (3a)
1837 - Callinet (5)
1844 - Suret (5)
1867 - Merklin (3a)
1899/1911 - Mutin (6)
1942 - Jacquot-lavergne (3a)
1995 - Renaud (4)