Notre-Dame du Bourg Chapel

Here stands the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Bourg, a little gem in the center of Agen. Built at the end of the 13th century in red brick, it originally stood outside the city walls, in the middle of a large Christian cemetery. Later, as the city expanded, it became a parish church and took the name Notre-Dame du Bourg. The building went through many transformations. In the 15th century, its flat apse was replaced by a polygonal one, and chapels were added on the southern side. But its history is also marked by violence: in 1561, during the Wars of Religion, Protestants set the chapel on fire. It was later rebuilt and enlarged, notably with the addition of a side aisle. Inside, you will discover a soaring Gothic nave and beautiful stained-glass windows created in 1884 by the Bordeaux master glassmaker Henri Feur. Another unusual detail: you have to go down eight steps to enter, a reminder that the city has risen over the centuries while the chapel has remained at its medieval level. Today it is still a living place of worship, particularly dedicated to Saint Rita. Listed as a historic monument since 1926, it remains one of Agen’s best-preserved treasures.