Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine

This building is built just behind the bridge of the Durance, on a rocky outcrop on the outskirts of the Alpine Road and overlooking the river. Its construction dates back to the eleventh or twelfth century. 1170 was built near a rural Benedictine priory, which was abandoned and ruined before 1343. Its architecture is very classic: two-bay nave, pointed barrel vault and semicircular apse. The many holes that mark the facade were used to set up a canopy to house pilgrims. Parade Mirabeau was the seat of couriers river so the building was called "Chapel raftmen". Around 1260, she took the name "Sainte Madeleine du Pont de Canteperdrix," referring to the first bridge was built across the Durance. The bridge has been repeatedly destroyed and replaced each time until our time. The chapel was used as a rebate after the Revolution. However historic monument in 1928, it was restored in 1948. This Romanesque chapel also carries a curious inscription, half in Latin and old Provençal, citing an eclipse took place in June 1239. Registration is certainly well after the construction of the chapel, after the architectural style. The text expresses a touching moral lesson. At a time when living conditions were very difficult, and very much alive beliefs, an eclipse may have caused a stir in the population. It would then wanted to keep memory of the event by placing it on the stones of a sanctuary. Here is the text engraved on the building read on one of keystones to the left of the entry: "Anno Domini Millesimo ducentesimo trigésimo nono, III nonas junii ground obcuratus leaking. Grada if commensas cofenira. Oi fara ben ben (trobara). " Which means: "The year 1239 Lord 3 nones of June, the sun is obscured. Think, beware, if you start, how you will end. Which will be well, well (found). "

See less