The chapel of Notre-Dame de la Roche or de la Roque or du Roc is built at the top of a peak which offers a panoramic view of the Durance valley, the confluences with the Asse and the Largue, and Volx.
Description
Located near the ruins of a 10th-century fortified castle on the site of Roche-Amère (or Roque-Amère), it served the old village, abandoned in the 15th century. It was a possession of the Abbey of Saint-Gilles. The apse dates from the end of the 11th century or the beginning of the 12th century. The rest of the church, the nave of two bays in a lowered barrel vault, the apse on the north side, are from the 17th or 18th century. A quarry exploits the foot of the mountain where it is built.
This chapel, restored in 1972, was the parish church of the first village. It was located to the west of the current village on a high hill overlooking the Durance river terrace by more than 200 meters and overlooking the narrow passage of the Largue.
Following the abandonment of the village for another site, Notre-Dame became a simple chapel. It is mentioned by Cassini who also reports a hermitage nearby. Pastoral visits of the 19th century recognized it in good condition in 1858, 1862 and 1867. Notre-Dame de la Roche, which adjoins the remains of a medieval fortress of triangular plan (with polygonal keep), near which was a village abandoned in the middle of the 15th century in favor of Villeneuve
Rates / opening
Prices
Free access.
Opening
From January, 01 to December, 01, open daily.
The chapel is visible from the outside.