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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours chapel originated in the 15th century, with the construction of a first chapel in 1443 on the island of Saulzaie (now Feydeau Island), near the city of Nantes. This place soon became a pilgrimage site dedicated to Notre-Dame du Bon Secours, venerated since that time. In the middle of the 18th century, the early chapel, which fell into ruins, was replaced by a new building built between 1776 and 1780 at the 18 quai Turenne.

The French Revolution marked a turning point for the chapel: closed in 1793, it was sold as national property in 1795 and divided into dwellings. Despite this troubled period, devotion to Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours persisted. The original statue of the Virgin, saved by parishioners in 1793, was preserved in a family until 1920 before being restored. Damaged during the 1944 bombings, it was restored and placed in the Church of St. Croix.

Ranked a historic monument in 1984 for its facades and roofs, the chapel underwent major restoration between 2011 and 2014. Today, it bears witness to the religious and architectural history of Nantes, while symbolizing the resilience of a popular cult throughout the centuries. The pilgrimage, interrupted during the Revolution, resumed at the beginning of the 19th century, confirming its anchor in the local tradition.

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