ST. THOMAS CHAPEL

In the woods overlooking the Seine, on the heights of the village, you can discover the ruins of the chapel of Saint Thomas, built in 1180, now listed as a historical monument. Brought out of oblivion in 1960 and excavated from 1998 to 2010 by archaeologists and volunteers, this Romanesque place of worship was built by the monks of the Abbey of Fécamp. Particularly well done and maintained, a fun interpretation trail, punctuated with panels, allows you to discover the history of the medieval leper colony of Aizier. Between 1180 and 1530, this isolated site was home to many lepers, an emblematic disease of the Middle Ages. Of modest size, the leprosarium was punctuated by prayers, religious services and the care provided. It is dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, exiled to France by King Henry II of England, then murdered on his return to England in 1170. The chapel was then abandoned in the 16th century. Today, one can follow a path to understand but also feel what the life of the lepers was at that time. Separated from the other inhabitants, they often suffered the contempt of the healthy who considered their disease as a punishment from God. The remains of the leprosarium are now home to a local tradition: lovers come here to tie green holly or hazelnut branches; if the knot holds, their love will last forever, so what are you waiting for?