ORGANS OF PARIS © 2026 Vincent Hildebrandt HOME ALL ORGANS
Before the present church, another building stood
slightly further forward on the site: the former
chapel of the Convent of the Annonciades of
Popincourt (built between 1654 and 1658), also
known as Notre-Dame de Protection. In 1788, it
became a chapel of ease of the parish of Sainte-
Marguerite, but only briefly, as it was established as
an independent parish under the name Saint-
Ambroise in 1791.
The current church was built between 1863 and
1868, to the designs and under the direction of the
architect Théodore Ballu, shortly after the creation
of the boulevard du Prince-Eugène (the former
name of today’s boulevard Voltaire). It replaced an
earlier church dating from the early nineteenth
century.
Architecturally, it reflects a blend of Neo-Gothic,
Neo-Romanesque, and Neo-Byzantine influences, a
combination that was particularly fashionable at the
time, especially in Paris—often referred to as the
“Second Empire style.”
C3
The Great Organ was built by Merklin-Schutze in 1869. The
archives report that the case was installed later after the
inauguration of the instrumental part (probably in 1870).
The instrument underwent an intervention by Mutin (date
and detail of the operations unknown), then Gutschenritter,
who added an ‘octave grave’ to the Récit.
In 1980, revision of the wind tunnel and adjustment of the
mechanics by J. Picaud.
In 1987, J-M. Cicchero replaces almost all the kernels of the
reeds; in 1989 he restores the missing rank of the Fourniture
of the Great Organ.
Two original stops of the Positive were removed at an
unknown date: the Clarinet, replaced by a Piccolo 1, and the
Doublette, in favor of a Tierce.
In 2000, the instrument was restored by Dargassies. He
replaced the Tierce with a Doublette and the Piccolo with a
Plein Jeu IV.
1869 - Merklin-Schutze (1)
1919/30 - Mutin-Cavaillé-Coll (6)
1965 - Gutschenritter (3b)
1980 - Picaud (6)
1987/89 - Cicchero (6)
2000 - Dargassies (5)
III/32 - mechanical traction
Stoplist
Titular organist
Julien Bret
Famous organists in the past: Georges Mac Master,
Paul Silva Hérard
Parish website
Videos
Julien Bret
Photos
GO : Jeroen de Haan
Console : Thierry Correard
Church: Vincent Hildebrandt
The organs of Paris
ORGANS OF PARIS © 2026 Vincent Hildebrandt
C3
The Great Organ was built by Merklin-Schutze in 1869. The
archives report that the case was installed later after the
inauguration of the instrumental part (probably in 1870).
The instrument underwent an intervention by Mutin (date
and detail of the operations unknown), then
Gutschenritter, who added an ‘octave grave’ to the Récit.
In 1980, revision of the wind tunnel and adjustment of the
mechanics by J. Picaud.
In 1987, J-M. Cicchero replaces almost all the kernels of the
reeds; in 1989 he restores the missing rank of the
Fourniture of the Great Organ.
Two original stops of the Positive were removed at an
unknown date: the Clarinet, replaced by a Piccolo 1, and
the Doublette, in favor of a Tierce.
In 2000, the instrument was restored by Dargassies. He
replaced the Tierce with a Doublette and the Piccolo with a
Plein Jeu IV.
1869 - Merklin-Schutze (1)
1919/30 - Mutin-Cavaillé-Coll (6)
1965 - Gutschenritter (3b)
1980 - Picaud (6)
1987/89 - Cicchero (6)
2000 - Dargassies (5)
III/32 - mechanical traction
Stoplist
Titular organist
Julien Bret
Famous organists in the past: Georges Mac Master, Paul Silva
Hérard
Parish website
Videos
Julien Bret
Photos
GO : Jeroen de Haan
Console : Thierry Correard
Church: Vincent Hildebrandt
