Well this one is another memorable one for my family. If you have been reading my blog, which I thank you for that, you know Honfleur is special for us. The Chapelle Notre Dame de Grâce is one small chapel but a big spot in my heart, as we came here many times with my dear late family! Do read my other posts on it in my blog. Excuse me for a moment, and hope you enjoy the post as I
The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is a Catholic chapel located in Équemauville, part of the town of Honfleur in the department 14 Calvados in the region of Normandy, and in my belle France. You can do walking from the vieux bassin port below or by car if cannot do so on foot ; we have done both as it is very hilly to get to the chapel in the Côte de Grâce or hill of grace.
The Notre-Dame de Grâce Chapel is built in 1600-1615 (on land given by Madame de Montpensier) by the burghers and sailors of Honfleur at the site of an old chapel that disappeared in a landslide of the cliff in 1538. This primitive chapel was founded before the year 1023 by Richard II, then duke of Normandy to fulfill a vow made during a storm in which he had almost perished. Since then, the cult of Our Lady of Grace has been perpetuated. It was at this time that the Capucin fathers planted a wooden cross to indicate the location of the old chapel, a cross that was about thirty meters from the present Calvary.
This Notre Dame of Grâce Chapel is lined with paintings and models of ships offered in ex-voto by the sailors. From the esplanade surrounding the chapel, there is a beautiful panorama of the Seine estuary, the port of Le Havre and the Pont de Normandie. It has seen great figures of history such as Louis XIII, Bonaparte or Thérèse of Lisieux passed by. A few steps from the Calvary, the steep cliff, a hundred meters high, descends abruptly into the sea. In vain attaches to its furrowed sides a mantle of greenery, in vain the oaks and the robust bowers cling to its mossy rocks, every winter the winds and the waves carry away a debris from these shifting slopes where the ruins of the ancient sanctuary of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce are buried.
Located a short distance from the Calvary Cross, the current chapel is small. The tall trees and beautiful lawns that surround it contrast with its humble dimensions. This rustic porch, this cracked bell-tower only present to the eyes lines without beauty. It is Bethlehem, it is the crib, and the children of Saint Francis who served this chapel in the last century seem to have imprinted on it that stamp of austere poverty so dear to the Seraph of Assisi. The sacred tradition of miraculous rescues is inscribed on all the walls of the chapel, which is lined with ex-votos, several of which are more than two hundred years old. Several of these ex-votos date back to the beginning of the reign of Louis XIV.
Formerly the pilgrims went up to Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Chapel by a path which winds on the eastern slope of the hill and from where one discovers the whole city, the port, the hills of the left bank and the entrance of the river. in the bay. The new path, shorter, easier and from which one dominates a more beautiful and more extensive perspective, has made people abandon the old one. But the winding path of Mont-Joli (see post) will always remain dear to pilgrims who explore the Côte de Grâce to seek out and revive the memory of their pious predecessors. There is still, a small chapel, located on the Côte de Grâce, under the invocation of the Most Blessed Virgin, who is in great veneration throughout the region, and work is going on to preserve it,
During the French revolution, the inhabitants of Honfleur supported the request and addressed their petition to the National Assembly, but it had the fate of many others. Two months later, all ecclesiastics were required to take the political oath. The Capuchins refused it, and when the constitutional bishop of Calvados, came to make his first visit to Honfleur, in May 1791, they refused to receive him. This was the signal for their dispersal. They were then eight in number: Father Firmin, caretaker, Fathers Hémery, Hugues, Gélas, Henry and Norbert, vicars, Gerbold and Martin, lay brothers. All withdrew to the convent of their order which then existed in Lisieux, and which was not long in being suppressed as well, Their house in Honfleur was occupied by the gendarmerie, then later sold to people who demolished it. At the time of the concordat, (peace of revolutionaries and royalists) the chapel was finally returned to worship. Apart from a single altar, forgotten in a dark corner, nothing remained in its soiled enclosure. It was reconciled, little by little furnished with indispensable objects, and a few priests came there from time to time to celebrate the holy mysteries. It has survive despite all manking efforts to destroy it a testament to beliefs,
The Religious Presbytery on the Chapel:https://presbytere-de-grace-honfleur.fr/la-chapelle/
The Honfleur tourist office on the Chapel and hill of grace: https://www.ot-honfleur.fr/visiter-decouvrez/patrimoine/la-cote-de-grace/
There you go folks, is magical to go up the hill and from there look over the sea, the city, and on the other side Le Havre (see post). At nighttime is awesome for the romantics especially. As well as very spiritual indeed. Again, hope you have enjoy the Chapelle Notre Dame de Grâce post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
Leave a Reply