Chapelle Notre-Dame d'Estours, Medieval chapel in Monistrol-d'Allier, France.
Chapelle Notre-Dame d'Estours is a chapel featuring Romanesque architecture with a ribbed vault choir and a semicircular apse. Five internal arcades supported by columns decorate the interior space.
Built in the 12th century by builders who also worked on Le Puy-en-Velay Cathedral, the chapel was expanded in 1560 after damage from the Religious Wars.
The chapel draws pilgrims on the first Sunday of September who come to pay respect to the Virgin Mary statue in its rocky setting. You can witness local devotion expressed through gathering and prayer at this sacred site.
Follow the D589 road toward La Vialle, then take the hiking path to reach the site at 800 meters elevation. Wear appropriate footwear and allow time for the uphill walk.
According to local tradition, the Virgin Mary statue kept returning to its rocky spot whenever people tried to move it to nearby churches. This story has shaped how locals view the site for centuries.
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