http://chapelles.provence.free.fr/liste.htmlThe Provence is rich of churches and chapels and the most typical one for this region are the romanic chapels. They date back to the middle ages and were often built as early as the 10th - 12 th century. Some of them have replaced older, prechristian cult places, which had been venerated by the Romans while they had accupied this part of contemporary France.

The roman chapels are typical motifs for postcards.

Some of them are situated within a village or town, but quite often they are found solitaire in the fields, on a mountain or close by the Sea. They are always an expression of populair belief and many of them are the destination of pilgrimages.

Right hand side: Brantes in the Vaucluse area.

Here is a link to the chapels of the Procence, written in French language with an abundance of informations:

http://chapelles.provence.free.fr/liste.html

Along the street that leads from Orgon to Eygalières, this ancient chapel is throning on a small hill. During the times of the Romain occupation a fountain rose from the place where this chapel was built. In this time, there had been a heathern temple besides the source. It is possible that the place was even used before the romain occupation since this part of France has been settled since the paleolithic age. The chapel was already mentioned in a bull of the pope in 1155. Starting from 1222 there has been a long tradition of a procession on the tuesday after Easter. The statue of Saint Sixte is carried in the procession from the parish church of Eygalières to the Chapel. The procession is called "Remouvage" which means "journey to Rome", symbolizing a pilgrimage.

Chapelle Notre Dame de la Pépiole à Six-Fours-Les-Plages

This is one of the most beautiful and oldest chapels in France. In the ancient world there has already existed a heathern temple. The monks of the mighty abbey St. Victor de Marseille came here and built the first chapel in a pre-roman style in the 5-6th century, the excact date in not known anymore. It has been restored by a monk of the Belgian abbey of Maredsous in 1956, by father Jean-Célestin Charlier. He built windows with colored bottles which gives a modern accent. Father Charlier is buried besides the chapel. The church is open for visits. A daily mess is read every day at 18.30 h in the summer and at 18.00 h in the winter, at 10.00 h on sundays. There is a little guest house besides the church.  The whole place is very spiritual and beautiful, surrounded by a big garden with pine and olive trees. The place is not far away from the coast and Sanary-sur-mer, but it provides a wonderful calm atmosphere.

For contacts see:

https://www.chapelledepepiole.com/messes-visites-h%C3%A9bergement/messes/