Located in Lisieux, in Calvados, the Saint-Désir church was originally part of the Benedictine abbey of Notre-Dame-du-Pré transferred in the 11th century to the city. When the Benedictines were driven from the convent during the French Revolution, the building then became a parish church.
Completely destroyed in 1944 during the bombardments, the church was rebuilt a few years later in a modern approach by the architect Robert Camelot, at the origin of the reconstruction of the entire city of Lisieux. Opened in 1960, it now unveils a reinforced concrete structure, presenting a large hall supported by thin columns.
Listed as Historical Monuments and labeled 20th Century Heritage, the Saint-Désir church has two huge glass roofs representing the Assumption of the Virgin and an abstract work inside.
