Chapelle de Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Encontre
MonumentHidden Treasure
Nestling in the medieval heart of Sarlat, this discreet 17th-century chapel boasts an elegant Louis XIII bell tower and an interior Baroque altarpiece with gilded figures of rare finesse.
History
Around the bend in the ochre-coloured streets of Sarlat-la-Canéda, the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Encontre is a haven of grace and contemplation. Far from the monumentality of the great Périgord cathedrals, it embodies the 17th-century taste for intimate devotional buildings, erected to the glory of the Virgin and placed under her benevolent protection. Its sober yet refined architecture, combining a classical porch with a Louis XIII-style bell tower, bears witness to a period when the Catholic Counter-Reformation was giving places of worship a new dignity, both spare and skilfully ornamented. What makes Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Encontre truly unique is the harmony between its restrained exterior and the decorative profusion of its interior. Visitors passing through the classical porch will discover a sculpted 18th-century altarpiece of the highest quality, animated by painted and gilded figures whose golds seem to catch the light like motionless flames. The contrast between the gravity of the stone and the brilliance of the gilding is one of Sarlat's most striking aesthetic experiences. A visit to the chapel is a natural part of a stroll through the historic centre of Sarlat, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in France. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1949, the protection afforded to the chapel guarantees the preservation of its exceptional interior decor. Contemplating the altarpiece, a veritable sacred theatre set in stone and gold, is well worth an extended stop. The surrounding area adds to the special atmosphere of the place. Sarlat-la-Canéda, whose medieval centre is itself listed, surrounds the chapel in an urban fabric of lauze roofs, Renaissance town houses and shady alleyways. The chapel is not an isolated monument, but a living fragment of an exceptional architectural ensemble, giving it added depth for those who take the time to understand it in context.
Architecture
Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Encontre chapel is a simple, compact structure, typical of 17th-century devotional buildings in the Périgord region. It has a rectangular plan with a single nave and no aisles, in keeping with the tradition of conventual or confraternity chapels of the period. The walls, probably built of local limestone - the blonde Périgord Noir stone that gives Sarlat its distinctive light - are carefully laid out, betraying a high quality of workmanship despite the modest size of the building. The most distinctive feature of the exterior is the bell tower that crowns the roof. Slender in shape and in the spirit of Louis XIII, it combines sobriety of line with elegance of proportion, reminiscent of the bell towers found on the chapels and entrance pavilions of the great aristocratic residences of the first half of the 17th century. The classical porch, structured by pilasters and an entablature, marks the transition between the secular space of the street and the inner sanctuary with measured dignity. The interior is dominated by the 18th-century sculpted altarpiece, the centrepiece of the décor. Comprising niches, columns, friezes and cartouches, it features painted and gilded figures whose warm polychrome contrasts with the sobriety of the stone. This type of altarpiece, common in chapels devoted to the Virgin Mary in the south-west of France, bears precious witness to the religious craftsmanship of the Périgord region during the Age of Enlightenment, halfway between Mediterranean Baroque and the classical restraint of the French tradition.
Related Figures
Louis XIII — dont le règne inspire le style architectural du clochetonAndré Malraux — ministre des Affaires culturelles ayant initié la protection du secteur sauvegardé de Sarlat en 1964Évêques de Sarlat du XVIIe siècle — figures tutélaires du renouveau religieux local post-guerres de ReligionArtisans sculpteurs sarladais du XVIIIe siècle — auteurs présumés du retable sculptéBiron (famille) — grande famille noble du Périgord, mécènes traditionnels des arts religieux régionaux
