Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel of Saint-Roch, located outside Pernes-les-Fontaines on the road to Saint-Didier, finds its origins in the 15th century with a first construction dedicated to Saint Roch, a protector invoked against the plague that then devastated the area. Hit by lightning in 1708, it was rebuilt in 1713 in the same location. The increasing crowd of the faithful during the annual processions of 16 August — accompanied by a fair and a market — imposed an enlargement in 1745, marking its social and religious importance.

In the 1750s, communal works revealed a source near the chapel. This discovery led the city council to create four public fountains in the city centre, fed by this new water resource. This project illustrates the link between the religious site and the urban development of Pernes-les-Fontaines, where the chapel also served as a community gathering point.

Ranked among the historical monuments since July 27, 1978 (inscription including the former chapel and its hermitage), it is now managed by an association. Its architecture, marked by the reconstructions of the 17th and 18th centuries, reflects its evolution in response to cultural needs and historical hazards, such as the fire of 1708 or the expansion of local celebrations.

External links