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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-des-Neiges chapel of Gourdon, located in the Lot in Occitanie, has its origins at the end of the 12th century. Originally dedicated to Notre-Dame de Leveio, invoked against the plague, it was mentioned for the first time in 1143 as a dependency of the Church of Saint-Romain, then confirmed in 1233 as the fief of the Priory of the Vigan. A charter of 1323 attests to his ancient existence, linked to a legacy of Guibert III de Thémines for his maintenance. Its Romanesque apse, the only preserved part, bears witness to this medieval period.

The chapel, ravaged by the wars of Religion, was rebuilt and enlarged in 1646 under the impulse of the canons of the Vigan, after a legal conflict with the bishop of Cahors on the appointment of the chaplain. The west gate, dated 1652, and the Baroque elements such as the tabernacle of Jean Tournié (1698) illustrate this renaissance. Closed during the Revolution, it reopened in 1806 with a petition from the inhabitants, before being renovated in the 19th century to revive the pilgrimage.

Partially classified as historical monuments in 1973, the chapel retains remarkable Baroque furniture, including a altarpiece and a tabernacle reflecting the Counter-Reform. Its main gate, with its carved vantals, is protected as historical monuments. Today, it remains a place of active heritage, linked to the religious and social history of Quercy.

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