Chapelle Notre-Dame du Bonsecours

“A ‘voyette’ you say? What in the world is a ‘voyette’?” a child’s voice might have once piped up near the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Bonsecours. Well, my friends, as we stand before this charming chapel, let me tell you a little story about this unique “voyette”. The Chapelle Notre-Dame du Bonsecours, a rather unassuming name for a place with such a charming tradition. It replaced a much older oratory damaged during World War I. Built in the early 20th century, it embodies a Neo-Regionalist style. The hexagonal structure, made of striking red bricks and topped with a six-sided slate roof, holds more than just Sunday services. This “voyette”, a small peripheral sidewalk, was more than just a path. It was a place of ritual, a place of hope. Parents would bring their toddlers here, guiding their unsteady steps along the voyette. Not just once, mind you. They would circle the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Bonsecours three times. Three times around, a symbolic act to ensure the blessings of the Virgin Mary upon their little ones. Imagine the scene: tiny feet carefully placed one in front of the other, small hands gripping a parent’s finger. The laughter and stumbles, the quiet prayers whispered with each completed circuit. The Chapelle Notre-Dame du Bonsecours, a silent witness to generations of hopes and dreams. Commissioned by the industrialist Joseph Lecomte, the chapel was built by local entrepreneur Mr. Hasbroucq. In September 1931, the Bishop of Lille, Cardinal Achille Lienart, blessed the newly completed Chapelle Notre-Dame du Bonsecours. So, the next time you see a simple sidewalk, remember the “voyette” of the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Bonsecours. It reminds us that sometimes, the most ordinary places can hold extraordinary meaning. A simple walk can become a pilgrimage, a symbol of hope for the future.