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Origin and history

The Franciscan Chapel of Rouen, dedicated to Saint Anne, is a Catholic building located at 1 rue de Joyeuse, in the Seine-Maritime department. Founded in 1877, the Franciscan community of Mary's maidens settled permanently on this site in 1883, after having occupied a first convent on Rue de Joyeuse in 1880. The current building, enlarged in 1926 by architect Jean Leprince, retains elements of the original oratory and is part of the neo-regionalist current of the 1920s.

In 1929, Abbé Leroy commissioned Maurice Denis to paint a mural for the abside, made in the spring of 1930. This fresco, framed by two mundi, represents an Adoration of Christ on the Cross with Saint Francis accompanied by Saints Claire, Colette and Elizabeth. The mounds illustrate scenes from the life of Saint Francis. Édouard Vuillard also immortalized Maurice Denis during the execution of this work in a famous portrait.

The chapel, including its basement rooms and its north extension, is listed as historic monuments by order of 29 November 2001. Disused today, it bears witness to both the religious history of the Wheels and the sacred art of the early twentieth century, marked by collaborations between major artists and church sponsors.

The building is currently owned by an association. Its exact address, referenced in the Mérimée base, is 1 rue de Joyeuse (76000 Rouen), although some sources mention a GPS approximation at 9 rue des 2 Anges. The accuracy of its geographical location is assessed as "a priori satisfactory" (level 6/10).

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