“Acts of vandalism.” That’s what led to the grilles that now enclose the Chapelle Saint-Charles’s parvis. Before us stands the Chapelle Saint-Charles. This small chapel has a big story. It stands at the intersection of several boulevards. The boulevard de l’Observatoire is one. The boulevard Bischoffsheim is another. Avenue Professeur Henri Chrétien completes the intersection.
An interesting feature is the staircase. It comes from the Saint-Roch cemetery. It ends right at this crossing. The Chapelle Saint-Charles is built on a steep slope. It overlooks the Saint-Roch district. The valley below has remained untouched. It has a dense forest cover.
Let’s talk about its appearance. The Chapelle Saint-Charles is small. It features an apse. The facade includes a rectangular door. Above the door is an oculus. A triangular fronton sits at the top. It is crowned with a cross. A small bell tower stands to the left. This completes the facade.
The Chapelle Saint-Charles likely dates back to 1864. This date appears on a flag. The flag is attached to the cross. The cross tops the bell tower. The bell tower is on the church wall.
Interestingly the Chapelle Saint-Charles first appeared on a map in 1882. It was labelled Chapelle Saint-Charles. Later maps regularly showed it. These later maps did not include its name. This occurred on maps from 1891 and 1938.
Photographs from 1866-1869 offer early glimpses. These photos document the construction. The construction included the Peillon water reservoir. It also included tunnels. The Saint-Charles tunnel was among them. The Chapelle Saint-Charles appears in these images. It looks much like it does today. This includes the apse. It also includes openings in the side walls.
But here’s a twist. The current rectangular entrance is not original. A photograph from 1880-1902 shows a different facade. This facade had an ogival entrance. Two narrow lancet windows flanked it. Only the oculus seems unchanged. This earlier design lasted until at least 1953. Alain Ducoté painted a picture of Jean Behra. He was at the Tour Auto above Nice. The painting shows the ogival entrance. It also shows the lancet windows. The oculus is visible as well. Maurice Debenedetti also painted the Chapelle Saint-Charles in 1931. His painting shows the narrow side bays and ogival entrance. You can still see traces of this entrance. It’s under the plaster on the chapel walls.
The Chapelle Saint-Charles may seem simple. Yet it holds layers of history. It has witnessed changes in Nice. It has been a landmark for over a century. Its story continues to unfold.