Chapelle du Calvaire de Saint-Jean-d'Aigremont, Chapel in Villefranche-de-Rouergue, France
The Chapelle du Calvaire de Saint-Jean-d'Aigremont is a chapel perched on the hill of Saint-Jean-d'Aigremont near Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in the Aveyron region. The site includes a small chapel dedicated to the Holy Sepulchre and a large Christ monument that stands in front of it.
The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste on the hill dates back to the Carolingian period, and old tombs have been found around it. In 1715, a hermit named Célestin Lacombe had the Holy Sepulchre chapel built, and the Christ monument in front of it was added in 1926.
The chapel sits on a hill with a clear view over the old town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue and the valley below. On Good Friday, groups of penitents dressed in blue and black robes walk the old path up to the chapel, a procession that has continued for centuries.
The path up the hill is easy to walk and passes by old walls and ruins along the way. Wearing sturdy shoes is a good idea since some sections of the trail can be uneven.
An old Roman road runs through the hill, once connecting Rodez and Cahors and used to carry silver ore from nearby mines. Gallows stood at the foot of the hill from the early 1300s, serving as a warning to all who passed along that road.
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