About Us

Christ Church in la Manche is a Chaplaincy of two local Churches meeting 75km apart, mainly worshipping and ministering in English, part of the Church of England Diocese in Europe. We offer a spiritual home to Christians seeking the Anglican tradition, members of the Anglican/ Episcopalian world-wide community, as well as Christians of various other traditions who make a spiritual home under our broad (if occasionally leaky!) Anglican umbrella while living in or visiting the area we serve. We are glad to share our love of Jesus, our English-language ministry, our warm fellowship, and our famously good cake!

Where on earth are we? The 'Manche' in our name refers here to La Manche (Dept 50) in northern France, the west side of the Cotentin peninsula, the part of France nearest to the UK Channel Islands. ('Manche' also refers to the (English) Channel, and, confusingly, to a sleeve, or the handle on a broom!)

The resident Anglophone population here is believed to be around 3,000, mainly retired people but a proportion of younger people as well, scattered across the beautiful countryside and along the coast. La Manche welcomes many tourists from the UK, the rest of Europe, and further afield, while a number of our congregation divide their year between here and homes elsewhere.

How did we get here? English services began in Coutances in 2002, and in due course the congregation was recognised as an official Church of England Chaplaincy. A few years later a priest in charge was appointed and served until 2014. A second congregation was planted in the far south of la Manche, moving to Avranches in 2023. 

Where are we going? In 2024 Fr Chris Probert accepted appointment as Transition Minister to help the Chaplaincy to move forward and find its place in the future of the Church of England in North West France.

Life and ministry continues as a co-operative adventure. We aspire to be                            

                                                      Living the Life of Christ - in English!