This church was formerly called Saint-Vincent-sur-Rive, because it was situated on the bank of the river. The treasurers of Saint-Vincent had the salt measures in their keeping, they were deposited in a small tower at the entrance of the church, for that purpose. When the boats loaded with salt passed by the church, they had to give a certain quantity to the parish, which has been since replaced by an annual sum of 140 livres. Saint-Vincent, like most other catholic temples, was pillaged in 1562 by the calvinists.
Saint-Vincent is a handsome production of the renaissance. The architecture of the interior is light and gracious, if we except the ornaments, which are not in very good taste, and which have been fastened on the pillars of the choir, in the middle of the last century, after the designs of the architect De France.
The painted glases of this church are very remarkable. At the lower extremity of the right aisle, in looking towards the choir, we perceive a pane of glass, a part of which is done on pasteboard by Albert-Durer, representing the virgin kneeling beside several of the apostles. The draperies of the former are in admirable gothic style; the heads of the others are also very fine.
In the northern aisle, that is to say, to the left on entering by the great porch, opposite the choir, we remark a window representing the history of saint John the baptist. The lower pannel represents the Decapitation of the saint, whose head they are carrying to Herod, who is seated at table with Herodias. In the next window, in going towards the eastern extremity, there is a view of the church of Saint-Ouen, but it is unfortunately broken. We can only now distinguish its tower.
In the chapel to the left of the choir, there is a window representing the miracle attributed to Ferdinand, better known under the name of saint Anthony of Padua, and taken from the lives of the saints, by the reverend father François Giry.
The interior of Saint-Vincent, and especially the southern aisle, still offers some very fine painted windows which are unfortunately very much injured.
SAINT-VIVIEN.
This church has given its name to the street in which it is situated. It was formerly but a chapel in the midst of meadows and marshes. In the year 1209, it was situated, without the town. It was formerly low and dark; in 1636, the roof was raised to a greater height. Before the year 1661, the organ was placed, in the left aisle: at this period, it was placed in its present situation. This church does not offer any thing very remarkable, unless perhaps its lofty steeple, in the form of a sugar loaf.