CHAPEL OF SAINT COSMUS AND SAINT DAMIEN

The 12th-century Saint-Côme chapel is located near a transhumance route crossing the Causse Méjean plateau. The chapel's patron saints, Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian, are considered the protectors of animals. This attribution illustrates the importance of livestock farming for the inhabitants of the Causse: this activity being the main source of income on the harsh lands of the Méjean. Built on a hill overlooking the bare plains of the Causse, the chapel is a beautiful Romanesque building, constructed entirely of limestone. Composed of a single nave opening onto a sanctuary separated by a screen, it has a semicircular vaulted ceiling and a semi-dome vault in the apse. Two windows illuminate the interior: the first is set in the south side of the apse, with a deep embrasure; the second is a simple vertical window located above the facade. A short path starts from Mas-St-Chély and leads, via a path overlooking the limestone plateau, to the chapel (4 km).