The chapel Sainte-Croix, located in Vézelay in the Yonne in Burgundy, stands on the north side of the eternal hill, below the Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. This small building, both a place of memory and prayer, connects centuries by its sobriety and spiritual depth.
Built between 1146 and 1170 by the Abbé de Vézelay, it commemorates the great preaching of Saint Bernard de Clairvaux for the second crusade. Consecrated in 1152, it reminds pilgrims of the importance of the cross, a symbol of faith and mission. The simple and harmonious Romanesque architecture consists of a square nave vaulted in a cradle, a small ogive choir and a gate with clean lines. This stripped ensemble invites to recollection and meditation on the Passion of Christ.
The original parts — including the nave and the primitive Gothic choir — the 12th century. The chapel is permanently open and welcomes pilgrims, tourists and hikers, especially those on the way to Santiago de Compostela or who came to venerate Saint Marie-Madeleine in the nearby basilica.
A place of memory of the crusades, the chapel inspired in 1217 the installation of the first Franciscan hermitage of France, La Cordelle. Ranked a historical monument in 1953 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is now the subject of an extensive restoration programme (2024–2026) to preserve its masonry.
