Chapel of Our Lady of the Fields

This 19th century chapel was built following a wish expressed by the population hit by cholera and phylloxera which destroyed the vines.
Pilgrimage to Notre Dame des Champs every year on August 15th.

In Aunis and Saintonge, the winter of 1788-1798 was characterized by its length and harshness. The vineyards of the commune of Saint Sauveur were wasting away due to frosts and worms. Hundreds of hectares were more or less infected.
In 1832, the population accused the Mayor of negligence despite his observations and appeals to the Prefect.
In 1834, a disease occurred, no longer on the crops but on the inhabitants themselves: cholera morbus. The most affected municipality in the region was Saint Sauveur. It was the most complete desolation. A vow was then made to erect a chapel in a place in the commune.

They forgot the promised chapel, although in the vineyards the worms resumed their harmful work. In 1846, the mayor asked for help from the Prefecture. All we thought about was leaving the vines abandoned. The land, even if the vines were uprooted, was unsuitable for growing wheat.

And now we remembered the vow. On July 8, 1850, the Municipal Council gave its agreement for the construction of a chapel on the territory of the commune, "thanks to a public subscription". As this turned out to be insufficient for the construction of the building, the prefecture took on the rest of the costs. The wish was thus realized.

"It was agreed that on the occasion of the destruction of the worms which ravaged the vines, a few years ago, a votive chapel would be made to thank God for the cessation of this scourge" (1849)

The chapel was finished in 1854. Monsignor Villecours, bishop of La Rochelle, came to bless it.

Note: inside this chapel, there is a statue of Our Lady of Africa.