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Origin and history

The chapel Sainte-Anne du Pègue is a Romanesque building located in the cemetery of the commune of Pègue, in the department of Drôme (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). It is the last vestige of a convent, erected on the site of a Roman temple, in the presumed centre of the ancient city of Aletanum. Its architecture combines re-used ancient elements (columns, Corinthian marble capitals, fragments of inscriptions) and Romanesque features, such as a semicircular apse arched in cul-de-four and a nave with cradle in full hangar. The chapel, originally dedicated to Notre-Dame-d'Auton (or Saint-Menne), adopts its current term in the seventeenth century, after enlargements linked to the wars of Religion.

The building of the chapel dates back to the 11th century for the nave (originally un arched), while the apse and interior reinforcements date back to the 3rd quarter of the 12th century, as evidenced by the task marks and similarities with neighbouring churches. In the 17th century, the chapel, which became a parish church after the destruction of the other local buildings, was extended by a span to accommodate two lateral altars (Notre-Dame de Pitié et Sainte-Anne). Two engraved dates, 1641 and 1661, mark reparations financed by local donors, such as Martine Fain, wife of Jean Buyère.

The building preserves traces of its ancient past, with granite columns and Roman capitals integrated into the triumphal arch. Its bedside, made of cut stone, is surmounted by a frieze of gear teeth and a cornice supporting a lauze roof. A bell tower with campanary bay, with a wrought iron cross, dominates the nave. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1926 with its cemetery, the chapel was restored in 1982-1983 under the direction of architect Francesco Flavigny.

The surrounding archaeological site, including sarcophagus and a mosaic discovered in 1875 (now extinct), confirms the importance of Aletanum as a Gallo-Roman city. The chapel, a communal property, illustrates the superposition of the epochs: pagan place of worship, medieval Christian building, and symbol of resilience during religious conflicts. Its designation as historic monuments underscores its heritage value, both architectural and historical.

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