Notre Dame des Cyclistes, Labastide-d'Armagnac, France

The chapel of Notre-Dame des Cyclistes is situated in the commune of Labastide-d'Armagnac. The chapel is all that remains of a 12th-century fortress of the Knights Templar. The Château de Géou was razed by the Black Prince in 1355.

In 1958, Father Joseph Massie, pastor of Créon-d'Armagnac, Mauvezin-d'Armagnac and Lagrange, was inspired by the chapel of Madonna del Ghisallo in Italy to make a similar chapel for cyclists. A year later Pope John XXIII agreed to make the old chapel a National Sanctuary of Cycling and Cyclists.

Numerous champions have donated their shirts, including André Darrigade, Jacques Anquetil, Louison Bobet, Tom Simpson, Roger Lapébie, Jean Stablinski, Bernard Hinault, Raymond Poulidor, Eddy Merckx and Luis Ocaña.

The chapel includes a stained glass window designed and created by Henri Anglade, a former rider of the Tour de France, to represent cycling. It was reportedly intended to celebrate a thaw in the intense rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, as they shared a bottle (bidon) on the Col d'Izoard during the 1952 Tour de France.

References:

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User Reviews

Marta (4 years ago)
Tota una curiositat. Petita esglèsia on des del 1959 es recullen maiots de ciclistes, s'exposen a les parets i en tenen casi 900, juntament amb alguns models de bicicletes que s'han donat. Pas de peregrinació i protecció de la Verge pels ciclistes. L'entrada és d'un euro i els entorns estan molt cuidats. Situat a les afores del poble de Labastide d'Armagnag.

Nathalie Gairin (4 years ago)
National shrine. A moving place because we have all learned to pedal and seen stages of the Tour de France. Take a detour

manuel rocheman (4 years ago)
Original

Gwendoline Jolliffe (4 years ago)
Lovely place to visit

Luc Wiel (4 years ago)
Mandatory stop for cyclists who were like me a few decades ago. That said, when you ride a bike, it is better to say a little prayer before setting off, just to try to protect yourself from the criminal driving of a lot of motorists.

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