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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Firmin, located in Saint-Martin-Saint-Firmin in the department of Eure (Normandy), is a religious building built at the end of the sixteenth century, probably in 1598 or 1599. It is dedicated to Saint Firmin, a popular cult not widely used in Normandy, associated with the healing of ricketism. This rectangular wooden chapel served as a place of pilgrimage and is distinguished by its internal structure of eight unequal spans and its roof in small tiles.

The first written mention of the chapel dates back to the will of Alexandre Desperrois, parish priest of Saint-Martin-le-Vieil and holder of the chapel, dated 1635. A stained glass window (perhaps 1605) and a bell of 1628 also attest to its existence in the early seventeenth century. The chapel was also cited in the declaration of the property of Saint-Pierre des Préaux Abbey in 1692, confirming its religious and community role.

In 1994, the chapel and its external basin were listed as historical monuments by order of 26 October. The set, including the apple-planted yard, had already been classified as protected sites since 25 May 1926. It became private property that same year, it was restored by Gilles Gazeau and is now intended for rental for cultural or festive events.

The chapel illustrates Norman rural architecture of the late Renaissance, with its bell tower covered with slates and wood, and its flat wall closing the choir. Its modest area (85 m2) and its location in the heart of the valley of Verona, tributary of the Risle, make it a rare testimony of local religious traditions.

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