Chapel of Notre Dame de la Santé – Chapel of Our Lady of Health

Just on your left, you’ll find the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Santé, aka the Chapel of Our Lady of Health. There once was a large hospital right next to it, hence the name. It’s also refered to as Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont, that is, the Chapel at the End of the Bridge. Families would come here to pray for the sick. Back in the 15th century, when it was first built, it was but a small sanctuary. By 1497, it could no longer hold the growing number of worshipers and it was thus converted into a chapel. In 1527, it was expanded all thanks to a donation from Jean de Saix, who also paid for the expansion of the hospital. In fact, there was an even earlier chapel on this very spot! Built in the 12th century by Raymond Roger IV, Viscount of Carcassonne, it celebrated the completion of the bridge over the Aude River. So you see, this has been a place of worship for quite some time. During the French Revolution, the chapel was confiscated by the State, having been declared as national property. It then became a private home. That’s when it lost most of its beautiful flamboyant Gothic decorations. Yes, you heard that right: flamboyant gothic, even though the chapel itself was actually built during the Renaissance! In 1857, a bishop bought it back and restored it to its original function. Today, the chapel looks just like it did when it was first built. It was listed as a historical monument back in 1932, and it still lives up to its name, located right at the end of the bridge! Feel free to peek inside and explore. Look for the white marble statue of Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, dating from the 16th century. Fun fact: a local woman kept it hidden during the French Revolution to save it from destruction, and later returned it when the chapel reopened as a place of worship.