Saint Blaise des Simples Chapel
The modest Saint Blaise des Simples Chapel is the only remaining vestige of a 12th-century leper colony dedicated to Saint Blaise, a healer renowned for treating the sick with medicinal herbs known as “simples.”
It is nestled in the heart of a small medicinal herb garden, the Jardin des Simples (Garden of Simples), which now houses the old bell from the covered market of Milly-la-Forêt.
By the 18th century, the Saint Blaise leper colony had fallen into ruins. Only the chapel remained intact and continued to host religious services. It is now deconsecrated.
Built from sandstone from the nearby Fontainebleau forest, the modest chapel is somewhat intriguing with its sturdy buttresses supporting its walls.
Its interior is simple; the walls are whitewashed and decorated by the poet and painter Jean Cocteau.
Saint Blaise des Simples Chapel, the resting place of Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau, a major figure in French literature and art, lived in Milly-la-Forêt from 1945 until his death in 1963. At the request of the town council, he undertook the decoration of the Saint Blaise des Simples Chapel during its restoration in 1959.
Drawing inspiration from the medicinal herbs traditionally used by Saint Blaise to treat lepers, Cocteau adorned the chapel with depictions of aconite, belladonna, mint, buttercup, valerian, and other simple plants. He also created an original representation of the “Resurrection of Christ,” symbolised by a cat, and designed the stained-glass windows.
According to his wishes, Jean Cocteau now rests in the chapel, in a vault adorned with a tombstone bearing a simple and moving epitaph: “I remain with you.” In 1995, his adopted son, the artist Édouard Dermit, was buried beside him.
The Saint Blaise des Simples Chapel, which was listed as a historical monument in 1982, also houses a bust of Cocteau and stained-glass windows dedicated to his memory, donated by the German sculptor Arno Breker.
Cocteau’s House, a beautiful 18th-century residence acquired by the artist in 1947, adjoins the chapel. Spanning two hectares, the property includes several gardens, an orchard, and a wooded park. In 2002, Pierre Bergé, a renowned patron of the arts, acquired it and carefully restored it, transforming it into the Jean Cocteau Museum.
Milly-la-Forêt, a village loved by the artistes
The charming town of Milly-la-Forêt, whose origins date back to the 3rd century BC, once enjoyed a period of prosperity as a dynamic agricultural and commercial centre, situated on the ancient Roman road leading to Lyon.
However, the arrival of modern road and rail networks in the 19th century gradually led to its economic decline, despite improved accessibility from Paris.
Nestled on the edge of the magnificent Fontainebleau Forest, Milly-la-Forêt attracted painters such as Paul Huet and Théodore Rousseau, who sought tranquillity and inspiration. This artistic appeal continued into the 20th century, attracting figures like Jean Cocteau and even inspiring Christian Dior to create a jewellery collection bearing the town’s name.
Milly-la-Forêt also served as a picturesque backdrop for several film shoots. Located 50 kilometres south of Paris and only 20 kilometres from the famous Château de Fontainebleau, it offers an idyllic escape to those seeking respite from the tourist bustle of the French capital.
Department of Essonne – Milly-la-Forêt
Coordinates: Lat 48.399519 – Long 2.474424
How to get to Saint Blaise des Simples Chapel in Milly-la-Forêt from Paris?
By car: A6 (direction Lyon) – exit n°13 (last exit befor the toll)
By train: RER D (direction Malesherbes) – Get off at station Maisse (6km from Milly) but pre-book a taxi.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Header epitaph Cocteau by Renaud Camus CC BY 2.0 – Covered market Bell and Chapelle and Jardin des Simples by D Villafruela CC BY-SA 3.0
