Chapelle Cocteau

Abandoned for several years, the City of Fréjus acquired the chapel and had it restored in 1989. It was classified as a Historic Monument on January 20 of the same year.

At the end of the summer of 1962, Cocteau gave in to the Vatican's request to build a sanctuary for the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Fréjus.

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a religious order created by Godfrey of Bouillon after the capture of Jerusalem in 1099. This order's function is to protect the Holy Sepulchre but also the liturgical life of the sanctuary and, subsequently, the entire Frankish kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1489, Innocent VIII decided to suppress the canonical order and to incorporate it into the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. Since 1868, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem has existed.

Born from the will of a banker from Nice, Mr. Martinon, the project for the chapel in the Tour de Mare district of Fréjus was designed with the architect Jean Triquenot, who was inspired by the tomb of Christ, the church of Santa-Fosca on the island of Torcello in Venice, as well as the Pantheon in Rome (directly cited by Jean Triquenot).

The first stone was laid on February 24, 1963. After the death of Jean Cocteau, it was Édouard Dermit who completed the work in 1965. The stained glass windows were by Raymond Moretti, a painter from Nice, and the ceramics by Raymond Pelissier from Fréjus. The exterior mosaics were executed in 1992 by Laetitia Léotard and Henri Virmouneix.

The Fréjus Chapel is one of Jean Cocteau's last works, as are the stained glass windows of the Saint-Maximin church in Metz, completed at the end of the 60s.

The iconographic theme inside is essentially based on the "Passion of Christ" and the chivalry of the Crusades. The Passion of Christ is a set of events that preceded and accompanied the death of Jesus. It includes the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Arrest of Christ, the Virgin of the 7 Sorrows, the Resurrection, but also the angel announcing the Apocalypse and hieratic characters who chant around a Christ.

But we also perceive many references to the knights of the crusades, knights of the Temple, of the Holy Sepulchre as well as the war cry of the crusaders "God Wills it".

Some biographical information about the artist:

Jean Cocteau was born on July 5, 1889 in Maison-Laffite and died on October 11, 1963 in his house in Milly-la Forêt. First tragedy, his father committed suicide on April 5, 1898, Cocteau at 9 years old. At 15 he was a student at the Condorcet high school, but showed little interest in studies, he was expelled from the high school for indiscipline in 1904 and failed his baccalaureate twice.

Inspired by surrealism, collaborator in the Dada movement, he had a great influence on the work of others with Erik Satie, contemporary French composer. Poet, graphic artist, designer, playwright and filmmaker, he was elected to the Académie française in 1955, seat No. 31. We could add, novelist, painter, lithographer, ceramist, upholsterer ...

Discharged in 1914, he took part in the war as an ambulance driver.

The sudden death of his friend Radiguet in 1923, with whom he shared a penchant for opium, brought him to Villefranche sur mer to the Welcome hotel.

Another tragedy occurred in 1930, with his affair with Nathalie Paley. She was allegedly pregnant by the poet, a pregnancy that could not be carried to term. Whether it was an abortion or the effect of opium, we will never know.

Cocteau then had a relationship with two actors, Jean Marais and Edouard Dermit, the latter was officially adopted by Cocteau and would be at the origin of Edith Piaf's success. Indeed, in 1940, the play, "Le Bel Indifferent" written for Edith Piaf was a great success. Among the immense successes that made him go down in history we can cite "Beauty and the Beast" (1946).

He chaired the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953 and 1954.

Playing an ambiguous role during the Second World War, he above all demonstrated a certain pacifism and subsequently became involved in defending the right to conscientious objection.

In the spring of 1950 he was invited to the Villa Santo Sospir in Saint Cap Ferrat, the villa of Francine Weisweller, which he decorated, encouraged by Matisse. He liked this house so much that he returned there for eleven years. In 1960, he shot "The Testament of Orpheus" with the financial support of François Truffaut.

He died on the same day as Edith Piaf, at the age of 74. He is buried in the Saint-Blaise-des-Simples chapel in Milly la forêt. He wrote shortly before his death: "Of course I believe. Of course I pray, but there can be no question of your god" and the epitaph on his tomb announces: "I remain with you".

Édouard Dermit, who made the drawings in the chapel after the artist's death (120 sketches had been made by Jean Cocteau for this chapel), came to join him in the same vault in 1995.



The chapel garden is an ambassador for the “flowery towns and villages” label!

Present for over 60 years, the “Villes et Villages Fleuris” label brings together nearly 4 labeled municipalities throughout France, including 700 “278 Fleurs”.

It rewards the commitment of communities to improving the living environment. It takes into account the place given to plants in the development of public spaces, environmental protection, preservation of natural resources and biodiversity, promotion of French botanical heritage, the reconquest of city centers, tourist attractiveness and the involvement of citizens at the heart of projects.

The label is a daily support tool for municipalities that wish to improve the well-being of their residents and preserve the identity of their territories, while developing their living environment.

Fréjus Pass: €6 (Fréjus Individual Pass 4 sites, valid for 7 days). From 18 years old.
Reduced Fréjus Pass: €4 (Fréjus Individual Pass 4 sites, valid for 7 days). Children aged 12 to 17, students under 25 (upon presentation of the card), groups of more than 10 people, job seekers (upon presentation of proof), classes from schools and educational establishments outside Fréjus/Saint-Raphaël.