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The Notre-Dame-de-Valvert chapel, built of Annot sandstone, was once the church of a Lérins priory. It’s the austerity of this undecorated building in its rural setting that makes it so attractive.
The first mention of Notre-Dame-de-Valvert church dates back to 1245, when Bishop Sigismond of Senez gave Guillaume, prior of Vergons, his property in the area. However, the chapel dates back to the first half of the 12th century, and would have been built in two campaigns: the first comprising the apse, the chapels and the last two bays of the nave, and the second, immediately afterwards, during which the first two bays of the nave would have been built. It was a modest priory: as early as the statutes of 1353, only a monk and a prior were required to reside there. In 1454, the priory was united with that of Angles. By the 15th century, the village was in ruins, and the monk and prior ceased to reside there. In the 16th century, when the inhabitants had a new church built in the village, Notre-Dame-de-Valvert became a simple cemetery chapel and was abandoned.
Listed as a Monument Historique in 1927, the chapel was restored in 1929. The cemetery adjoining the chapel most probably dates back to the construction of the Notre-Dame-de-Valvert church.
source: Inventaire général du Patrimoine culturel Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
04170 Vergons-en