The Saint-Joseph Chapel of Fréjus (sometimes called the "Valescure Chapel") is a small neo-Romanesque building, now in ruins, located on Avenue Henri-Giraud in the residential district of Valescure in Fréjus.

Quick history

  • Construction : built in 1883 by the engineer-architect Pierre Auble in a neo-Romanesque style, on land originally privately owned by Canon Jean-Emé Rolland.

  • Opening for worship: June 15, 1899; she ceased all religious activity in 1930.

  • Heritage : listed in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage (ref. IA83000641) since 1986.

  • Fire and abandonment: The roof was destroyed by fire on June 25, 1983, making the interior inaccessible and leaving the building abandoned ever since.

Saint-Joseph Chapel Fréjus

More information on the Saint-Joseph chapel

Brand

  • Elongated plan with a semi-circular chevet, long-span roof (now collapsed), bell tower made of rendered sandstone and bricks, semi-circular portal resting on gray marble columns.
  • Initial interior decoration including ceramic friezes and Celtic crosses on each gable.

Current status and restoration project

  • The building, in very poor condition, officially belongs to the commune (POP) but also benefits from the support of the diocese of Fréjus-Toulon.
  • A "case-by-case" application (F09324P0349) for the restoration and expansion of the chapel was submitted to the DREAL PACA at the end of October 2024. The project, financed in part by the diocese and by private donations, does not require an environmental assessment.

Costumed

The chapel is closed to the public for security reasons, but its exterior is freely visible from Avenue Henri-Giraud. The site, nestled in the middle of a pine forest, is one of the popular walks in the Valescure district.

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