The Église Saint-Étienne is a Gothic church at the centre of Ars-en-Ré, and its black-and-white painted steeple is the defining image of the village. The steeple has served as a navigational landmark for sailors entering the harbour for centuries, and remains the first thing you see arriving from the water or from the road. Up close, the church is a calm, well-preserved Gothic structure with a simple interior that invites a quiet moment out of the summer sun.
The church dates to the 14th and 15th centuries, though the steeple was modified in later periods. The surrounding square is the social heart of Ars-en-Ré, and the morning market that sets up here in summer season is worth arriving early for.