The Chapel of La Fley

In a clearing, surrounded by fir and linden trees, the small chapel of La Fley, built in 1726, is full of charm. Like the chapel of La Frasse, it owes its construction and decoration to the generosity of the village’s peddlers.
In a very picturesque setting, along the old mule trail, just a stone’s throw from the mother church, the Fley Chapel was built in 1726 thanks to the generosity of the itinerant merchant Jean-François Sonnier. Sonnier served as mayor of Neuf-Brisach in Alsace (a street there bears his name). In 1755, his nephew, Antoine Violland, had the chapel restored. He also had the surrounding area leveled to allow for processions, and linden trees were planted. Dedicated to Our Lady
of the Hermits of Einsiedeln, the choice of this patronal title is significant: Our Lady of the Hermits is venerated at Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland, a famous pilgrimage site since the 10th century. Many Savoyard traveling merchants, who frequently visited German-speaking regions, had made this pilgrimage. Inside, a painting and an ex-voto honoring a Swiss Black Madonna are worth a closer look. A pleasant spot for a picnic.