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Origin and history

The chapel of Saint-Sepulcre is a Romanesque chapel located in the hamlet of Vallettes, in the commune of Beaumont-du-Ventoux, in the department of Vaucluse. Built around the middle of the 12th century, it was a dependency of the abbey Saint-Victor of Marseille. Its simple architecture, consisting of a unique nave of three spans and a semicircular apse, is marked by distinctive Romanesque elements, such as lapidary inscriptions and a sober decor of palmettes and rinceaux.

The chapel bears mysterious marks, including the inscription U.G.O repeated 11 times, also present in other Provence Romanesque buildings. This signature, dated between 1140 and 1160, could belong to a master worker or a corporation of artisans. Another intriguing element is an inscription in Arabic (Shahada) in the apse, whose origin and meaning remain uncertain, perhaps evoking a connection with an Eastern Christian.

The tympanum of the door, carved from a prayer figure framed by patted crosses and sarcophagus, suggests a funeral vocation and a possible association with the Templars. The chapel, once surrounded by a cemetery, was renovated in the 17th century after being in ruins in 1605 and restored in 1987. The neighbouring Burdigalian quarries, exploited since Roman times, provided the stones for its construction and modern restoration, notably after the 1992 floods in Vaison-la-Romane.

Ranked as a Historic Monument in 2000, the chapel preserves marks of taskrons (letters, symbols) engraved in stone, testifying to medieval construction techniques. Its lintel, adorned with a character whose identity divides (Christ, adorant or man taking an oath), and its typical Romanesque decor make it a remarkable example of Provencal religious heritage. The 17th century archives confirm its state of disrepair before its reconstruction in 1692.

Today owned by the commune, the chapel illustrates both Provencal Romanesque art and medieval cultural exchanges, with its oriental influences and its history linked to religious orders and artisan corporations. Its isolation in the countryside and its sober architecture make it a place full of mystery and history, still studied for its inscriptions and symbolism.

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