Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
“Yo Soy el Buen Pastor Ego Sum Pastor Bonus” by Bernardo Ramonfaur.
Museo Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacro (Archdiocese Sacred Art Museum)
Burke Building.
Burke Building
‘La Grande Assiette Brisée’ (‘The Large Broken Plate’)
Ellijay Mushrooms Farm
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
View of the full general store from the second floor.
MoonPie General Store
A slice of cake is the perfect coda to a meal at Piatto Romano.
Piatto Romano
Crunchy and supremely satisfying, suppli might be the ultimate street food snack.
Supplizio
The pedigreed pistachios here are from Bronte.
Gelateria dei Gracchi
This tiny hole-in-the-wall serves one of the world’s most magnificent sandwiches.
Er Buchetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Our journey begins in Texas—more specifically in Big Bend National Park.
The Atlas Obscura (Audio) Guide to the National Parks
about 21 hours ago
While initially unsanctioned, Toronto’s graffiti community converted this largely ignored alleyway into an epicenter of world-class street art.
10 Unexpected Places Where Creativity Shines in Toronto
about 21 hours ago
Prehistoric creatures roam the grounds of the Dinosaur House.
Roadside Dinosaurs: An American Love Story
about 22 hours ago
There’s No Right Way to Say ‘Taco’
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Canada New Brunswick The Candy Church
AO Edited

The Candy Church

Inside the simple black-and-white exterior of Église Sainte-Cécile hides a pastel wonderland.

Petite-Rivière-de-l'Ile, New Brunswick

Added By
Andrew MacLean
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Église Sainte-Cécile   Dr Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0
Église Sainte-Cécile   Dr Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Dr Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Dr Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Dr Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Dr Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0
Église Sainte-Cécile   Dr Wilson / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Andrew MacLean / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When this colorful church was constructed in 1913, it was distinctly more traditional. It was based on traditional Romanesque architecture, and its trim, constructed from wood from Columbia, was painted white. The rest of its features, the pillars, columns, pews, and altar were all painted in trompe l’oeil, a then-popular technique of painting an imitation wood.

As the decades passed, the finishes darkened into a dark and dreary brown palette. Reverend Gerard d’Astous decided that it would be easier to repaint the church than it would be to clean it. The year was 1968, a time when perhaps giving free rein to one's imagination was rather in vogue.

Painting of the church began on Remembrance Day that year, and continued through the spring of 1969, when this magnificent piece of brightly colored folk art was completed. Musical notes and bells on the ceiling remind visitors that the church is dedicated to Saint Cecile, the patron saint of musicians.

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Color Churches

Know Before You Go

From Miscou Island cross the bridge south to Lemecque and take a right on route 313. Past a few curves you’ll find the church on the left. From the outside, it’s rather unassuming (a plain white with black trim) so you’ll want to keep your eyes open.

Community Contributors

Added By

Andrew MacLean

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

November 24, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/traveling/inside-candy-church-lameque-new-brunswick.html
The Candy Church
8126 NB-313
Petite-Rivière-de-l'Ile, New Brunswick, E8T 1V9
Canada
47.871076, -64.636775
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Northern Gannet Colonies

Percé, Québec

miles away

Fort Péninsule

Gaspé, Québec

miles away

Canadian Potato Museum

O'Leary, Prince Edward Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Brunswick

New Brunswick

Canada

Places 14
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Northern Gannet Colonies

Percé, Québec

miles away

Fort Péninsule

Gaspé, Québec

miles away

Canadian Potato Museum

O'Leary, Prince Edward Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Brunswick

New Brunswick

Canada

Places 14
Stories 3

Related Places

  • Cappella Delle Brunate

    La Morra, Italy

    Cappella Delle Brunate (Barolo Chapel)

    This brightly-colored chapel is a contemporary jewel standing in the middle of a La Morra vineyard.

  • The Cathedral Café has been serving its community for more than 120 years.

    Fayetteville, West Virginia

    Cathedral Café

    Soak in the sacred vibes at this beloved food and coffee hangout inside a former church.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
  • The church is known for its jagged, striking facade.

    Elblag, Poland

    Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland

    A striking church with a Tolkien-inspired nickname.

  • Vouliagmeni, Greece

    Saint Nikolaos of Vouliagmeni

    Past the megayachts in the hyper-modern marina of Vouliagmeni is a small, well-hidden chapel adorned with pebbles and maritime imagery.

  • The Cardboard Cathedral in 2013

    Christchurch, New Zealand

    Cardboard Cathedral

    This semi-permanent cathedral was built of cardboard, wood, and steel after Christchurch's 2011 earthquake.

  • Iglesia El Rosario

    San Salvador, El Salvador

    Iglesia El Rosario

    Padre Delgado, a leader in the fight for Salvadoran independence, is buried in this stunning Brutalist cathedral.

  • Split, Croatia

    Crkva Sv. Martina (St. Martin's Church)

    Split's smallest church, and one of its oldest, has been reconstructed inside the city's Roman walls.

  • Rovinj, Croatia

    Krstionica Sv. Trojstva (Baptismal Font of the Holy Spirit)

    This seven-sided Romanesque chapel is regarded as the oldest building in Rovinj.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.