Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet is a Roman Catholic church built in the 13th century and reconstructed between 1656 and 1763. In 1977 it was occupied by traditionalist Society of St. Pius X and has remained in the Society’s possession to the present day. On a typical Sunday there are about six Masses, one after another, almost without any breaks.
In 1977 the members of the Society of St. Pius X expelled the parish priest with his assistants and occupied the church. Shortly afterwards, the city of Paris gave an eviction order. In 1978, the Court of Cassation confirmed that the occupation was illegal but the order of eviction was never implemented. On February 20, 1987, the Council of State ruled that the disturbance to public order resulting from an expulsion would be higher than that resulting from the illegal occupation.