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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Aucamville, located in Tarn-et-Garonne in Occitanie, finds its origins on the foundations of a medieval church. The source text mentions that it would have been built on the site of the ancient church of St John of Marguestand, attested from the thirteenth century near the fountain of Laparra. This source, known to cure fevers, was already attracting pilgrims before the construction of the current building.

The present chapel, erected in the eighteenth century, perpetuates this tradition by becoming a place of devotion where the sick threw rooms into the fountain before moving away without turning around. Its modest architecture, in pea and without bell tower, reflects local vernacular techniques (pure torches), which are common until the early 20th century. This "moulded" model, typical of rural constructions, makes it a rare testimony of popular religious habitat.

Classified as a historical monument by decree of 14 December 1990, the chapel also illustrates the evolution of religious and medical practices in rural areas. Its cut-off bedside and isolation in a grove underline its sacred and discreet character, anchored in the landscape and local beliefs. The Laparra fountain, although not mentioned as protected, remains inseparable from its history and its original function.

The sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its absence of a bell tower and its status as a representative building, while noting an approximate location (map precision estimated at 8/10). No information is available on any of the characters related to its construction or maintenance, or on significant events after its ranking.

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