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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Lehospice de Grandchamp, also known as Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolation, was founded by Félicie-Madeleine Chesne, widow Robert, on his property in the Dorat. Built between 1880 and 1885, it was intended to house old men and was dedicated to the memory of her husband and sister-in-law, who died in 1878. The building, designed by the Parisian architect A. Bonnet, consists of a central chapel flanked by two symmetrical pavilions reserved for men and women.

The chapel, of stylized neo-Gothic style, presents a Latin cross plan with a three-sided bedside and bow-buttons. Its interior is vaulted with limestone, and its stained glass windows, dated 1885, represent religious scenes and local saints. The arrow of the chapel was completed by Jules Tixier after a conflict between the original contractor and the contractor. The pavilions, with crepy facades and pinacles, housed dormitories and service rooms.

On 24 February 2004, the building was partially listed as a historical monument, protecting the entire chapel and the facades and roofs of the two adjacent houses. The Robert family, at the origin of the project, was a lineage of local notables since the 16th century, some members of which, like Pierre Robert, left historical writings on the Limousin and the Marche.

The stained glass windows, signed by a monogram (L.C. or G.), could be attributed to Luc Gesta, painter-glass. Some elements of original furniture remain, such as a bentier, a confessional, an altar and a reliquary. The ensemble illustrates 19th century charitable architecture, combining religious functionality and symbolism.

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