Chapelle Saint-Lubin

Tucked away on the Rue de la Porte de Paris, the Chapelle Saint-Lubin stands as a quiet sentinel at the entrance to Chevreuse. This unassuming chapel, a seemingly recent addition to the landscape, holds within its stones a story that echoes centuries of devotion, suffering, and resilience. Chapelle Saint-Lubin isn’t the first sacred structure to grace this site. It replaced a much older chapel, part of a 13th-century leprosarium, also dedicated to Saint-Lubin. This earlier establishment, the Maladrerie de Saint-Lubin, served a vital purpose. It treated those afflicted with leprosy, a disease brought back from the Crusades. The Knights Templar, a powerful and influential order, initially owned the leprosarium. Later, its administration passed to the people of Chevreuse and subsequently to religious orders. The complex included a small house with a courtyard, a barn, a garden, and the attached chapel. It also encompassed fifteen arpents of surrounding land and meadows. In the 17th century, these properties became associated with another local leprosarium, the Hôtel-Dieu. This connection reflects the ongoing struggle against leprosy in the region. The original chapel met its demise in the early 19th century. It was then rebuilt around 1845 into the Chapelle Saint-Lubin we see today. Chapelle Saint-Lubin now stands as a private property, a testament to the enduring legacy of faith and service that began centuries ago.