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Origin and history

The Church of Saint-Sigismon of Aime-la-Plagne, in Savoy, is a Catholic building dedicated to the Burgundian King Sigismon. Its history dates back to a first Paleo-Christian church (Vth-Vth century) built on a Celtic oppidum, then transferred to the 13th/XIVth century to its present location, near the ancient Roman way Alpis Graia linking Milan to Vienna. The parish of Aime, mentioned since 1170, suggests a much older pastoral occupation, linked to this strategic site between Italy and France.

The major reconstruction of the church took place between 1675 and 1679, financed by the confraternities of the Holy Name of Jesus (4,500 guilders) and the Rosary (1,000 guilders). Consecrated in 1681, it incorporates Baroque furniture in the 18th century, including a retable by Jacques Clérant. The revolutionary occupation damaged its interior, before post-war restorations led by Canon Glatigny. The building, marked by its master masons (Louis Billiot, Jean Rouge, brothers Genetta), was inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1984.

Architecturally, the "oriented" church has fourteen chapels, sundials and protected furniture, reflecting Savoyard sacred art. Its former location on Saint-Sigismon Hill, now a chapel, bears witness to its evolution from a Celtic and Roman site. The sources underline its role in the Baroque heritage of Tarantoise, between medieval heritage and modern transformations.

The bibliographical references (Oursel, Hudry, Chavoutier) and the Fondation Mérimée/Clochers de France confirm its historical and religious importance. The building, a communal property, remains a symbol of the transition between epochs, from Burgondes to Savoie, through revolutionary upheavals.

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