Chapel of the White Penitents

The chapel of the White Penitents

A contemplative stop on the Sarlat audio-guided tour, the chapel of the White Penitents concentrates on its own four centuries of religious, social and cultural history. It was built between 1618 and 1626 by the Recollects, a Franciscan order, in the great movement of the Counter-Reformation.

A nave of great simplicity

The building is of great simplicity: a single nave, covered with a chestnut barrel vault, lit by wide bays. Its only real decoration is a superb Baroque portal, with its fluted columns and broken pediment, which still draws the eye of passers-by. After the Revolution, the Recollects were expelled and the church became national property.

What to see

Bought back in 1804 by the brotherhood of the White Penitents, who gave it its current name, the chapel remains a place of spiritual memory of Sarlat. Admire with respect its Baroque portal and the sobriety of its nave, witnesses to the fervour of the Counter-Reformation.

Practical information

The chapel of the White Penitents is in the historic centre of Sarlat. A place of religious heritage, it is visited with respect for silence; opening days and hours should be checked depending on the season.

Who built the chapel of the White Penitents ?

The Recollects, a Franciscan order, between 1618 and 1626, during the Counter-Reformation.

Where does the chapel's name come from ?

From the brotherhood of the White Penitents, who bought the building back in 1804.