The Saint-Martin church is typical of the neo-gothic style that blossomed in Normandy in the last quarter of the 19th century.
The former Saint-Martin church with a nave of the 11th century and a choir of the 13th century seemed too small and old when Villers-sur-Mer became a popular seaside resort, at the end of the 19th century.
The laying of the foundation stone for the new church took place on September 18, 1872. The architect was Aimar Lavalley-Duperroux from Caen, approved by the parish council on January 7, 1872.
To build this neo-gothic church with limestone from Caen or Ranville, he opted for a Latin-cross plan with elongated nave and short arms of the transept.
The interior decoration was entrusted to renowned Norman artists such as the Jacquier brothers for the stone sculpture and the Duhamel Marette studio for the glazing.
The church was classified as “Monument Historique” in 2006 for its architectural quality and decoration, mainly for glazing: 51 stained-glass windows made by the Duhamel-Marette studio in Evreux, including episodes of the life of Jesus (choir), of the Virgin Mary (right transept), of Saint Joseph (left transept) and Saint Martin (left-side aisle).
