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Origin and history

The chapel of Madeleine de Cajarc is a medieval vestige located in the Lot, on the territory of the commune of Cajarc. It was originally the choir of a chapel dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene, integrated into a leprosy founded in the 12th century on the Pech d'Andressac. This site, known as the Magdeleine, was mentioned as early as 1267 in episcopal letters granting indulgences for its restoration. The leprosy, managed under the patronage of the local consuls, was probably the victim of a fire in 1321, after accusations of poisoning the fountains by lepers.

The chapel benefited from notable gifts, such as that of Aymeric Hebron of Saint-Sulpice, bishop of Coimbra born in Cajarc, who bequeathed to him in 1279-1295 a fortified mill (of which today only the tower remains). In 1310 and 1334, local lords, including Guillaume de Rupe and Pierre Lacoste, contributed financially to his maintenance. In the 20th century, a wrought iron gate with the initials of Marie-Madeleine, Patronne des Lépereux was added (circa 1900), and the building was inscribed in historical monuments in 1941.

Architecturally, the original chapel remains only its arched apse in cul-de-four, covered with lauzes, and pierced by two narrow windows. The triumphal arch, now extinct, probably supported a bell tower wall. In 1954, the chapel was renovated to accommodate a statue of Our Lady of Peace, on the initiative of the Dean of Cajarc. The site, a communal property, remains a rare testimony of medieval leproseries in Quercy.

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