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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Lazare de la Maladrerie, located in Poissy (Yvelines), is a medieval religious building founded in the late 11th century. Originally intended for the care of lepers, it was mentioned in a judgment of the Paris Parliament in 1258 and attached to the Hôtel-Dieu de Poissy in 1695. Its architecture combines a stone nave and a stone choir, reflecting distinct construction phases between the 12th and 13th centuries.

Over the centuries, the chapel has experienced periods of abandonment and reuse, as evidenced by its use as a barn in the 19th century. Joined historic monuments in 1937, it was acquired by the city of Poissy in 2016 to avoid its sale to an individual. Despite urgent work (covering, damaged roof), its restoration was not retained by the Heritage Lotto in 2020.

The chapel, now enclaved near the future training centre of Paris Saint-Germain, preserves murals studied in 1894 by Edgar Mareuse. Its history illustrates the evolution of medieval maladries, places both religious and medical, before their progressive decline in modern times. Its present state, marked by cracks and degradations, underscores the urgency of its preservation.

The historical sources, such as the declarations of property of 1548 or the plans of 1823, reveal its spatial organization: chapel, houses for sick people, and gardens. Its successive connection to the order of Mount Carmel (1674) and then to the Hôtel-Dieu (1695) shows its integration into local charitable networks. Today, it remains a rare testimony of medieval hospital architecture in Île-de-France.

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