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Libourne English Speaking Church

English Language Church Services at the Temple Protestante in Libourne

We are a part of the Chaplaincy Aquitaine and we have English language Services every Saturday afternoon in Libourne starting at 16:30. Please check the calendar below for the specific dates.

We also have an active English language Christian Home Group which meets every two weeks in the evening. Please check the calendar below for the specific dates.

Services take place at the Temple Protestante de l’Église Unie de Libourne, Place du Doyen Carbonnier 33500 LIBOURNE which is located in the heart of the old city (click for map). A brief history of the chapel and our presence in Libourne is included below.

If you would like to contact us or if you need more information, then please do not hesitate to either click here to send an email or alternatively please call us on 05 56 40 05 12 to leave a message and we will call you back.

History of our presence in Libourne

In 2024, a few of us living in and around Libourne and worshipping in Bordeaux, aware that there are many English speaking people in the area, decided – after much prayer and discussion – to offer a Christmas Carol service in English. We were privileged to use the beautifully restored Chapel de Condat.

The result was a remarkable success, with an attendance of around 180 people – Anglophone and Francophone. Following the first Carol service, we established a ‘Home group’ which, although small in number, has developed into a strong Fellowship.

Christmas 2025, we repeated the Carol service with a similar result; and people asked about the possibility of regular English services.

Following the arrival of our new Chaplain, Revd John Bavington, we were encouraged to look for a suitable venue. The local Protestante congregation, who we have joined with on various occasions for ecumenical events, kindly invited us to use their ‘Temple’ on Saturday afternoons. As a way of ‘dipping our toes in the water’ we held a Christmas Day service in English and, somewhat to our surprise, over thirty people turned up. After more prayer and plenty of encouragement, we are taking the plunge
into outreach!

History of the Temple

  • Origins: Originally the chapel of the Saint-James hospital, serving pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, reflecting historical ties between Aquitaine and the English crown.
  • Transformation: After being decommissioned during the French Revolution and used as a fire station, it was transformed into a Protestant temple in 1869.
  • Inauguration: Pastor Jules Steeg opened the temple on November 13, 1869, with a sermon based on the inscription on the pediment: “God is spirit; those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth”.
  • Legacy: The site serves as a testament to the Protestant presence in Libourne, with Steeg, its first pastor, later becoming a deputy of Gironde in 1881. 
  • Today: The Temple operates under the auspices of the United Protestant Church of France (Église Protestante Unie de France) who have very kindly welcomed us, the Chaplaincy of Aquitaine, by allowing us to also have our services of worship in the Temple.