CHAPELLE NOTRE DAME DE LA CHARITÉ

In 1707, in the middle of the bocage of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Plaine, the parishioners erected a small oratory to put an end to the dysentery epidemic. The first chapel was built around 1740. During the Revolution, the humble chapel became a place of prayer for crowds from all over the region. All these gatherings provoked the anger of the revolutionaries. In 1791, the chapel was destroyed. But next to it grew an old oak tree. It was on this very spot that the Blessed Virgin is said to have appeared on several occasions. Around 1870 – 1820, a new chapel was built. Over the course of the same century, a number of features were added to the chapel, including the sacristy, the caretaker’s cottage and the white granite cross. Between 1901 and 1903, the chapel was restored and enlarged. The right transept features a stained glass window depicting Jacques Cathelineau carrying the Processional Cross, donated by the family of the parish priests. The left transept has a stained glass window depicting the apparition of the Virgin Mary in front of the ruins of the chapel. In the 1950s, the chapel underwent interior restoration: chestnut vaulting, pink granite altar, whitewashed walls, benches, frescoes, etc. Finally, between 1986 and 1987, 80 volunteers enthusiastically took part in the restoration of the roof and walls. Today, the chapel is still a popular shrine in the Mauges. To book a guided tour, contact the Saint-Laurent-de-la-Plaine town hall or the Ôsez Mauges tourist office. Home groups:yes