Life of Saint Florance 360-367 (≈ 364)
Presumed period of his presence on site.
fin XIe siècle
Foundation of the Priory
Foundation of the Priory fin XIe siècle (≈ 1195)
Depending on the Abbey of Nouaillé.
1618
Union at Jesuit College
Union at Jesuit College 1618 (≈ 1618)
Connection to the 18th century.
1792
Sale as a national good
Sale as a national good 1792 (≈ 1792)
Revolutionary decommissioning.
1962
Restoration of the chapel
Restoration of the chapel 1962 (≈ 1962)
Post-abandonment rehabilitation.
17 décembre 1968
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 17 décembre 1968 (≈ 1968)
Official site protection.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Chapelle de Comblé (Box D 170): inscription by order of 17 December 1968
Key figures
Sainte Florance - Local religious figure
Lives on site (360-367).
Origin and history
The Chapel of Comblé is a Romanesque church built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries in Celle-Lévescault, New Aquitaine. It was erected on the site of an oratory dedicated to Saint Florance, which would have lived there between 360 and 367. This site became a place of pilgrimage and housed a priory, probably founded at the end of the 11th century under the dependence of the Abbey of Nouaillé. The building served for a long time as a parish and spiritual centre for the local community.
In 1618, the priory was united with the Jesuit College of Poitiers and served by the parish priest of Celle-Lévescault from 1718. The French Revolution marked a turning point: in 1792 the chapel and its estate were sold as national goods and disused. The building, adjacent to a dwelling house, was restored only in 1962. Its architecture preserves Romanesque elements, such as modillons on the southern cornice and a vaulted nave in a broken cradle. Inside, a swimming pool of ablutions and a fire sheltering the presumed tomb of Saint Florance testify to his religious past.
The chapel was classified as Historic Monument by decree of 17 December 1968. Its flat bedside, pierced by a triplet, and its south opening, perhaps ancient main entrance, reflect its architectural evolution. The site, although partially modified, remains a significant vestige of Poitevin Romanesque heritage, linked to local devotion and regional monastic history.
