Chapelle Saint-Esprit d'Antibes

The Chapelle Saint-Esprit d'Antibes is a small chapel with a single nave and semi-circular apse located in the heart of the town. The building appears modest in scale but occupies a significant spot within the medieval urban layout.

The chapel was built in the late medieval period and later became home to an influential penitent brotherhood that maintained its traditions over centuries. Archaeological findings reveal that earlier religious structures from late antiquity and the early medieval period once stood on this same site.

The chapel is named after the Holy Spirit and once served as the meeting place for a brotherhood of white penitents who gathered here for their devotions. The interior still bears traces of this spiritual community and their practices.

The chapel is centrally located in Antibes and easily reached on foot, though be aware that it now serves as a municipal council chamber and is not always open to visitors. It is best to check in advance for access information to avoid disappointment.

Following Napoleon's landing on the coast, French soldiers were temporarily confined within the chapel during a turbulent period of history. This overlooked military episode adds an unexpected dimension to the building's past.