Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-du-Val chapel, located in Sotteville-sur-Mer, Seine-Maritime, is a Catholic building whose current construction dates back mainly to the 16th century. It is the last vestige of a leprosy founded in the 12th century by the Abbey of the Trinity of Fécamp. Although local traditions evoke an older origin, in the 10th century, the most tangible architectural elements, such as lancette bays and the western gable, suggest a medieval foundation. The building, built in sandstone, flint and tuff, underwent major modifications in the 16th century, when it took its present form: a unique nave extended by a narrower choir with flat bedside.

Sold as a national property on 26 September 1792 during the French Revolution, the chapel then suffered damage in June 1940, probably related to the events of the Second World War. After changing hands, it was finally transferred to the municipality of Sotteville-sur-Mer in 1983. The building, which once housed sculptures dating from the 13th to the 16th century, now preserves a 17th century altarpiece and a statue of Virgin to Child. These elements, as well as his history related to the leprosy and the Abbey of Fécamp, earned him an inscription as historical monuments by order of 28 September 2006.

The chapel illustrates the architectural and religious evolution of Normandy, moving from a place of care and isolation for lepers to a preserved communal heritage. Its recent inscription among historical monuments underlines its importance as a material witness to the medieval and modern history of the region. The materials used (silex, tuf, sandstone) and the traces of the different eras make it an example of rural religious constructions, marked by successive reuses and adaptations.

External links