The chapel
Notre Dame of the Nativity
was known since the 13th century from texts, but its vault and
its Romanesque openings indicate an older construction.
The village has preserved its cemetery and old tombs, which is
more and more rare these days.
Laveyssière’s parish is
under the protection of the Child Virgin (Vierge Enfant (Maria
Sanctissima Bambina)), of Italian construction, whose
celebration is on September 8, the anniversary of her birth.
Bread Oven
This pilgrimage
is the most popular of the sanctuaries in the Bergerac area.
Formerly, it attracted thousands of pilgrims and lasted eight
days. People who came from out of the area were so numerous
that it was necessary to provide tents for them. Today still,
hundreds of pilgrims come to attend the service (open-air when
the weather is good). Their devotion is especially apparent at
the miraculous
fountain, located next to the sanctuary,
whose water is reputed to cure all kinds of illnesses,
especially rheumatics.
The presence of this fountain next to the chapel leads one to
think that a very old place of worship (undoubtedly Celtic)
was there before the actual one.
The Brard report
of 1835 provides some information about the life of this time:
there were oak and chestnut woods, there was an oven where
bricks and lime were made, there were seven weaving looms in the
village, but fabric was also bought from peddlers, bread was
made from different kinds of flour such as wheat, rye, and maize
(corn), wine was rarely drunk, only when it could be obtained.
Events
-theme parties (meals) (notably pork)
-annual bread festival with attic sale and market. The old,
restored bread oven is active that day with a real baker making
bread.
-September 8 pilgrimage to the Child Virgin (Maria Sanctissima
Bambina)