In the Basque Country, this town offers an escape game to discover its Art Deco chapel

All hands on deck in Hasparren! The barbarians are coming to steal the treasure from the Sacré-Cœur chapel. Today’s visitors hastily slip into the magnificent Art Deco chapel to shelter the jewel. For an hour, they observe, count and solve puzzles whose answers are sometimes found in the details of the majestic fresco of the 48 saints in procession towards the choir, sometimes on the luminous stained glass windows or the mosaics encrusted on the steps leading to the altar. In July and August, this escape game , escape game created by two passionate locals, is offered to tourists and locals. Three times a week, Imanol, a local boy and a recent high school graduate recruited by the town hall, puts on his medieval costume to lead the treasure hunt. He is also in charge of the more traditional guided tours in the morning.

An original cultural offering while the place, listed as a historical monument, reopened a year ago after four years of renovation. Built between 1928 and 1931 by the missionaries installed in the adjoining building, the Sacré-Cœur chapel was created thanks to the generosity of the inhabitants. 5,000 donors and more than 70 parishes in the department participated in the financing. Backed by a private school, the place then served as a chaplaincy for students for years until it was sold for a symbolic euro in 2012 to the municipality.

A heritage setting

On the stained glass windows, the coats of arms of the main donor municipalities shine. The chapel is rooted in the history of the area. And while the escape game is not intended for religious education, “the Holy Spirit continues to work, we can trust him,” smiles the town’s priest, Dominique Errecart, confidently. The services held there throughout the year are a reminder of the population’s attachment to this heritage setting, whose main mosaic, representing Jesus with open arms, won the Grand Prix Pèlerin du Patrimoine in 2021 with the CFRT-Le Jour du Seigneur. “This chapel is a landmark in the family life of many residents,” adds the father. Anecdotes are shared on each visit. Former students of the school recall the Sunday evening prayers before returning to boarding school, the weddings and baptisms they attended.

On the forecourt, Joseph Lafitte, deputy mayor, responsible for culture and heritage, is proud of the work accomplished. To welcome the faithful, at the entrance to the chapel, an inscription in Basque recalls the original mission of the place: “The Basque Country entrusted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” The elected official declares: “The missionaries wanted to win back the hearts of the locals. Somehow, almost a century later, that is also what we want.” Sitting on the benches, the audience of the day is speechless. “It’s breathtaking, unexpected,” marvels Janine. At her side, Sylvie, who came from Loire-Atlantique for the holidays adds: “And to think that I would never have stopped in Hasparren without visiting this chapel.” “Visitors are now encouraged by the tourist office to go to the Rostand house in Combo-les-Bains, to the Isturitz and Oxocelhaya caves and… at the Sacré-Cœur chapel in Hasparren,” continues Joseph Lafitte proudly, who, once the work was completed, was determined to make this place “a place where things happen.”

Ideal acoustics

The day before, melodious voices escaped from the walls. The Mendixola choir, literally “at the foot of the mountain” in Basque, came to rehearse. Two concerts are planned this summer. “Before the work, we had to sweep the floor every time we came, because the building was falling apart. I was heartbroken at the thought of no longer being able to sing there when it had to close for safety reasons,” recalls Marie-Agnès, president of the association. The acoustics, linked in particular to the wooden ceiling, are particularly appreciated by musicians and singers. A few months ago, the famous pianist Nicolas Stavy gave a concert there. “We were convinced of the beauty of the place, but the public’s interest, the various prizes and the classification as a historic monument made us realize the unique character of our chapel,” concludes Joseph Lafitte. A treasure that deserves to be no longer hidden.