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Chapel of the Madeleine

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The Madeleine Convent and Its Church From Its Origin to the French Revolution

1. The District of Saint Mary Magdalene, 12th Century to 1640

Ask a Bordeaux taxi driver to take you "to the Madeleine" and you will probably be taken to the Hôtel Madeleine at no. 32, Cours Pasteur. A man in the street ;would probably direct you to the Chapel of the Madeleine, which is close by at nos. 24-26, Cours Pasteur. These two buildings are the only remaining evidence of what was once Bordeaux's Madeleine District, which stretched from Rue des Ayres to Rue du Mirail.

On these streets we can find the reason for the name of this district. One the first street is the Bouglon Hospital, and on the second is a chapel once dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene.

The Chapel initially dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene―the 12th century to 1548

The chapel initially dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene the Penitent by the people of Bordeaux was a funeral chapel belonging to the Saint Jacques Hospital and located near the corner of Cours Victor Hugo and Rue du Mirail. It was within the boundaries of Saint-Eloi parish.

Built at the beginning of the 12th century, it remained in existence until 1548, when some individuals took refuge there during the civil uprising against "heretics" to save themselves from the fury of the crowd; they perished in the flames of a fire deliberately set to the chapel.

Later a chapel was dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene in the church of Saint-Jacques. The church of Sainte-Colombe, now destroyed, also had a chapel of honor of the holy penitent, who was greatly honored in this district of Bordeaux.