Saint Gabriel Chapel is one of those places that radiate grace and a profound spiritual aura.
Nestled at the foot of the majestic Alpilles, at their westernmost edge, it rises above the centuries-old olive trees that surround it like a protective frame. This monument is a dazzling testament to Provençal Romanesque architecture, with its sober profile and harmonious lines.
Exceptional for a Romanesque church, its portal is richly adorned with vegetal motifs and sculptures depicting scenes from the Annunciation and the Nativity. On the tympanum, the archangel Gabriel announces to Mary the birth of Christ.
Located at a crossroads of ancient major routes, the chapel once stood at the heart of a vital network of roads: the Via Agrippa linking Arles to Lyon, the Via Domitia connecting Italy to Spain through the Alps, and the Via Aurelia coming from Rome. In this spot once stood the Roman city of Ernaginum, crossed by a branch of the Durance, the Durançole, which joined the Rhône at Arles.
The local association "Les Amis de Saint Gabriel" organizes guided tours of the chapel and cultural events. The site is also popular with hikers exploring the Alpilles. Slightly higher up in the hills overlooking the chapel lie the ruins of a small 13th-century castle, the Castrum Saint-Gabriel.
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A true jewel of Provençal Romanesque architecture, Saint Gabriel Chapel offers visitors an invitation to a spiritual and historical journey at the heart of the Alpilles.
