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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Jean de l'Ouradou, located in Estaing in Aveyron, is built between 1524 and 1529 on the site of a former oratory. It was consecrated in 1529 by François d'Estaing, Bishop of Rodez, and founded by Jean Pouget de Caramarans, Prior of Cambon and Canon of Rodez Cathedral. The flamboyant Gothic building houses a college of six priests until the 18th century, as evidenced by the canon tombs of 1734 and 1740.

Sold as a national property in 1793 during the Revolution, the chapel saw its bells sent to Montauban to be melted into cannons. In the 19th century, major works were undertaken: in 1875, an oak altar and a wooden stand were added, the statues painted, and the vaults brushed up by the goldman Carcenac for 920 francs. The stained glass windows were repaired several times, notably in 1977 by Claude Baillon.

Ranked a historic monument in 1997, the chapel is distinguished by its sober architecture: a nave of a single span, a pentagonal choir separated by a triumphal arch, and Gothic elements such as the cave ribs and carved caps. The altarpiece, decorated with a flamboyant Gothic niche, houses a bas-relief of the Baptism of Christ (1524–1529) and a stone Annunciation, both classified in 1936. An octagonal bentier of the sixteenth century, also classified, completes the furniture.

The interior decorations have evolved over the centuries: a painted 17th century decor, now extinct, once adorned the walls, while a Gothic liturgical sink and cupboards built into the walls testify to the daily use of space. The chapel, owned by the municipality, is now enclosed in agricultural buildings, maintaining its historical character despite the transformations.

His story is related to the Estaing family and Rodez canons, who left traces until the Revolution. The parish registers and archives of the Bâtiments de France document successive restorations, such as the repair of the roof in 1978 or the works of the 20th century that made the 17th century murals disappear.

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