The Sainte Chapelle, or Holy Chapel, is a tiny little chapel built against a rockface roughly 500 meters south from the Chapelle de Notre Dame de la Gorge at the southern end of the Montjoie Valley, south-west from Chamonix.
In the Middle Ages, the location of the current chapel had a spring with water coming out from the rock wall. This water was believed to have miraculous properties. A Benedictine monk from St Nicholas de Veroce left his community and became a hermit in the area. Subsequently an oratory was built on the site of the chapel, dedicated to St Antoine, patron of hermits and protector of pack animals and their guides. At the end of the 18th century a very basic structure was built around the site and in 1850 a footbridge is added to provide easier access. Then in 1914, disaster struck and the Bonnant river floods and carries away the structure. In 1921 the chapel is rebuilt by Cure Vulliez, a priest from Les Contamines.
Inside the chapel you can find a sculpture by Manfred Vogel from the Black Forest in Germany with the Virgin and Child. On Assumption Day which falls on August 15 and on September 8, the anniversary of the Nativity of the Virgin, a procession will walk from the Chapelle de Notre Dame de la Gorge to the Sainte Chapel.
Linked Trails & Points of Interest
These are the trails and points of interests linked to this Chapel
9
Our Rating
Exceptional
Loop Trail:
Absolutely beautiful trail with a gorgeous church and a couple of really nice waterfalls in beautiful forests and open fields. Great variety in absolutely amazing scenery.
Length
8.9km
When to Go
Start May - Mid Oct
Hiking Time
2.5 - 4.0 Hours
Elevation +
+493m / -493m
Kids
7+ Years old
Running Time
1.5 - 2.5 Hours
Technical Difficulty
Moderate (3/5)
Dogs
Dogs Allowed
Nearest Town
Chamonix
Location & Map
Below you will the location of this point of interest on the map. You can click the button to show the nearby trails and points of interests that are listed above on the same map. Another option is to visit our complete interactive map that shows everything that is listed on our website.
Longitude:
6.7136
Latitude:
45.7886