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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel of Saint-Bonnet, located on the pass of the same name in Montmelas-Saint-Sorlin (Rhône), has its origins in the 12th century. Its Romanesque architecture, marked by a massive square bell tower based on arched portals and a five-sided apse, was partially redesigned in the 17th and 18th centuries. The building, classified as a historic monument in 1981, retains prominent decorative elements such as two capitals adorning the side gate. Its present state is considered degraded, despite its heritage importance.

Dedicated to Saint Bonnet, bishop of Clermont in the eighth century, the chapel was once a place of pilgrimage renowned for treating gout and headaches. This therapeutic vocation, typical of medieval shrines, contributed to its local reputation. In 2019, the association Autour de la Chapelle Saint-Bonnet was created to finance its restoration, highlighting the contemporary challenges of preserving small rural religious buildings.

Sources also mention a possible confusion with the nearby castle of Montmelas, restored in the 19th century by architect Louis Dupasquier in a neo-Gothic style. Although both sites are protected (the chapel since 1981, the castle since 2000), their distinct stories reflect different periods and functions: one related to popular devotion, the other to the 19th century romantic aesthetics. However, the chapel remains the only building explicitly associated with Saint Bonnet and his healing traditions.

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