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Origin and history

Saint-Rémy Chapel is a Catholic chapel located in Auriac-du-Périgord, Dordogne department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Built below the Château de la Faye, it is associated with two distinct periods according to the sources: the 15th century (circa 1470) by the analysis of the family coats of arms of the La Cropte and Arnal, or the 16th century (between 1520 and 1541) under the impulse of Bertrand Arnal de la Faye, abbot of Terrasson. Its architecture and heraldic decorations reflect these links with local noble families.

The chapel is dedicated to Saint Remy, a holy healer, attracting pilgrims suffering from various ills for centuries. The novel Jacquou le Croquant by Eugene Le Roy describes this annual pilgrimage, where the faithful rubbed themselves on the walls or entered to implore the saint. Sold as a national property in 1794 during the Revolution, the building was listed as a historical monument in 1948. Today, the pilgrimage continues every year around August 23, bringing together between 50 and 80 participants.

The coats of arms carved on the arch keys offer clues to its history: the western coat of arms combines the weapons of La Cropte and Arnal (future La Faye), suggesting a marriage or an alliance around 1470 between Antoinette de La Cropte and Raymond Arnal de Montignac. The oriental coat of arms would evoke Bertrand de La Cropte, parish priest of Auriac in 1406 and then bishop of Sarlat (1416-1446). These elements underline the religious and social role of the chapel, linked to the local aristocracy and popular devotion.

Owned since its restoration, the chapel is generally not open to the public outside of religious events. Its isolated location, more than a kilometre from the village, and its state of conservation make it a rare testimony to the rural religious architecture of the Périgord, mixing medieval and Renaissance heritage.

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