Le Saillant: a chapel unique in France
Looking for a charming village? The village of Le Saillant will satisfy your curiosity with its chapel, the only one of its kind in France. It is decorated entirely with stained glass windows by the painter Marc Chagall (1887-1985). This unique feature has earned Le Saillant a place in our top 14 places to visit. Once you've visited the chapel at Le Saillant, you can go for a walk to discover the Gaillard landscapes.
5 good reasons to go to Le Saillant
- Discover a charming village.
- See stained glass windows that have been awarded the "20th Century Heritage" label.
- Breathe the pure Gaillard air.
- Being close to hiking trails.
- Get a taste of culture.
Marc Chagall's stained glass windows
The Saillant chapel is unique in France, being the only one decorated entirely with stained glass windows by the artist Marc Chagall. Guy de Lasteyrie du Saillant, a descendant of the chapel's builders, was fascinated by Chagall's work and commissioned him to create the chapel's stained glass windows. The Saillant chapel has six stained glass windows painted by the artists Charles Marq and Brigitte Simon in Reims between 1978 and 1982, based on models by Marc Chagall. The effects on the grisaille and the finishes were created by Chagall.
The chapel near the village of Voutezac is covered in stained glass evoking man's primary values in nature. Chagall plays with light by mixing coloured and grisaille windows.
The Creation: a work by Chagall
The work of art The Creation, located behind the altar, depicts a simple landscape where water, earth and air are illuminated by the fire of the Creator Spirit. Two bunches of multicoloured flowers blooming like fireworks face it in the rose window. The side windows symbolically depict, in gold and silver grisaille, the earth and the harvest (bread), the vine and the grape harvest (wine), the pasture and the lamb (sacrifice), the river and the fish (Christ).
The Gaillarde anecdote
The bouquets depicted in The Creation reminded Chagall of the bouquets his wife Bella used to bring him every morning. In Russian, Chagall means "to walk with long strides", and who better than him to show us how to walk through life:"In life, as on the artist's palette, there is only one colour that gives meaning: it is the colour of love ".
Practical information
When can I visit the Saillant chapel?
All year round, from 9.30am to 6pm.
How do I get to Le Saillant?
- You can come from Brive - Allassac, cross a 13th century bridge and the chapel is on the right.
- You can come via Objat - Voutezac, the chapel is opposite as you enter the village of Le Saillant.
Our Gaillard tip
- For a day rich in culture and delicacies: discover the treasures of the chapel, then in summer, enjoy the local farmers' market by the water.
- Near the Saillant chapel, you'll find an EDF dam that's open to visitors, making your day in Gaillarde land.
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