The ornamentation of the Chapel Saint-Pierre, jewel of the modern and mystic art, was a dream cherished for a long time by Jean Cocteau. He kept it as a project for more than ten years before devoting many months to this work, full of inspiration, in 1957.

The craftsmen of Villfranche, ceramicists and stone cutters, participated in the achievement, led by the genius of Cocteau. Like the creations of romanesque art, this work has the most humble fervour, and the expression of the most denuded faith.
It represents at the same time, the apostles life, the village dear to his childhood, and his friendship for the fishermen to whom the chapel has been dedicated.

He drew fishing nets on the walls and vaults, so as to remind us that god fishes for souls too. Out of respect for his work, these Villefranche-sur-Mer web pages feature one of his line drawings as a background. La décoration dela Chapelle Saint-Pierre, joyau de l'art mystique moderne, fut un rêve longtemps caressé par Jean Cocteau, un projet qu'il porta pendant plus de dix ans, avant de lui consacrer, en 1957, des mois d'un travail inspiré, auquel participèrent egálement les artistes de Villefranche, céramistes ou tailleurs de pierre guidés par son génie. La première messe y fut célébrée le 30 juin 1957.


Villefranche-sur-Mer
- Quai Courbet

Tel: (+33) 04 93 76 90 70
Open all year round - visits on appointment for groups.