La Chapelle de L’ange au Violon, France

La Chapelle de L’ange au Violon is a beautifully, crumbling chapel located in the south of France. This dilapidated family chapel lies within the grounds of a house; the house itself is inhabited. Both the house and surrounding grounds are well-kept, immaculate in fact. We visited this location in the summer of 2018, during the South France Road Trip 2018.

The name translates to “The Chapel of the Angel with the Violin. This is because violin-playing stone angels decorate the columns of the sanctuary. The tall vaulted Gothic ceiling is collapsing. Most of the stained glass windows lay empty, the glass naturally dislodging as the decades progressed. The large and beautiful stained-glass rose window, which sits above the entrance, is remarkably well-preserved.

The mystery of La Chapelle de L’ange au Violon

The chapel was built in the 19th Century. Curiously, there is little other information online. This is interesting, as this is a relatively famous French abandoned chapel. Perhaps, part of the charm of La Chapelle de L’ange au Violon is the air of mystery. Ordinarily, this is the point where I start scouring the internet for historical snippets. This time, I am happy to let the photographs speak for themselves.

On the contrary, the chapel is so beautiful the aesthetics alone are sufficient to pique interest. Soft, warm light fills the space as the afternoon light filters through the glass-less windows.

Is salvation at hand?

I must be honest; I was disappointed when I visited La Chapelle de L’ange au Violon. As I walked through the doors during the summer of 2018, expecting to be greeted by lush vegetation. The floor should be covered by a thick layer of scrambling foliage. My heart sank, as I realised it had been cleared. Additionally, a chaotic mix of fragmented stonework has been stacked in the middle of the room.

Furthermore, there is evidence of some preservation work. Notably, there are sturdy iron girders propping the walls on the exterior, which had begun to tilt and falter. In addition to this a tin or steel roof has also been constructed above the original roof. It is clear that there have been attempts to preserve the chapel.