Chapelle de l'Oratoire, Religious monument in central Nantes, France

The Chapelle de l'Oratoire stands on Place de l'Oratoire in Nantes, its light stone facade rising from a balustraded base to a flattened top. A tall arched window of small panes sits beneath a horizontal balustrade, flanked by rectangular niches framed by columns and carved ornament, with a scroll-like volute at each outer edge. The plan has no side aisles or ambulatory; inside, Corinthian pilasters and sculpted angel heads form the decor.

The Oratorians settled in Nantes in 1619 and built the chapel between 1651 and 1665, when it was consecrated. The design was overseen by superior Abel de Sainte-Marthe, with architects Jacques Malherbe and, after his death, Gilles Corbineau. In 1775 it was incorporated into the hôtel Lelasseur. During the Revolution it became the seat of the criminal tribunal of Loire-Inférieure, then served as a gendarmerie barracks, archive depot and archaeology museum.

The chapel now serves as a gallery and venue for exhibitions that draw art enthusiasts to its interior spaces. It functions as a meeting point between historical architecture and contemporary creative expression in central Nantes.

The chapel is directly accessible from Place de l'Oratoire and opens for exhibitions and cultural events throughout the year. Check ahead for current opening times, as availability can vary depending on scheduled events.

After the cathedral reopened, the chapel served as a chapelle ardente for soldiers killed in the Indochina and Algeria wars. During the museum's 2011–2013 expansion, connecting buildings were added and the chapel was the only part of the site open to the public, hosting exhibitions and meetings.