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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Vozy de Vals-near Puy is the former chapel of a convent of Augustine nuns, founded around 1313 with the help of the Augustine nuns of Saint-Benoît de Val. This convent, initially linked to the maladrary of Saint-Benoît, dependent on the abbey of Notre-Dame de Pébrac since 1200, developed thanks to the important traffic of the route du Midi and the passage of pilgrims to Le Puy. The Bourguignons invaded the site in 1419, and major repairs were carried out in 1601. The current buildings, mainly dating from the 17th century, were enlarged in 1650, 1700 and 1781, with a last construction towards the gate.

From the old convent, there remain only a few notable elements: a classical exterior door, a staircase with baluster torsos, and an inner door whose pilasters date back to 1615. The chapel, transformed into a church, preserves a nave with spans and a choir with a straight bedside, topped by a floor distributed in cells for nuns. The bell tower, destroyed by lightning in the 18th century, was replaced. The altarpiece of the choir, adorned with a triangular pediment, and the doors with studs stamped with angelelots heads probably date back to that time. After the Revolution, the convent was sold as a national good in 1794.

In 1828, the Jesuits moved to the site and made modifications, including the extension of the buildings and the construction of a chapel decorated with woodwork around 1870. The church, registered as historical monuments since October 8, 1968, illustrates the architectural and religious evolution of the region, marked by pilgrimages, conflicts and post-revolutionary transformations. Its underground link the church to the convent and its arch is a reminder of the oldest traces of the site.

The convent and its church are part of a broader historical context, linked to the reception of pilgrims and travellers on the Route du Midi. The maladry of Saint-Benoît, founded in the 13th century, played a key role in assisting the sick and the passengers, reflecting the religious and social importance of Vals-near-le-Puy, at the gates of Puy-en-Velay. The Augustines, then the Jesuits, permanently marked the local heritage by their successive modifications.

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