Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-de-la-Gorge chapel, located in Contamines-Montjoie in Haute-Savoie, has its origins at least in the 11th century, although the current Baroque-style building was rebuilt between 1699 and 1707 under the impulse of the parish priest Colliex. The architect Jean La Vougna, known for his work in Saint-Gervais and Chamonix, supervised his construction. This place, originally dedicated to Saint Anthony, became a parish in the 14th century before being attached to the Contamines in 1804 after a demographic decline and revolutionary upheavals.

During the French Revolution, the chapel was desecrated and turned into a stable, its bells requisitioned for the manufacture of cannons. In the 19th century, it regained its religious vocation thanks to a revival of Marian pilgrimages, culminating in 1873 with a procession of 10,000 faithful. The banners of neighbouring villages, preserved in the sacristy, still bear witness to this event.

The Baroque architecture of the chapel is distinguished by its unique nave, its bell tower surmounted by a bulb, and its three gilded altarpieces, including that of the choir representing the Assumption of the Virgin. The interior decorations, such as the stuccos and the crosses of consecration to Savoy's weapons, reflect Jacques Clairant's artistic influence. Outside, fourteen oratories, built in 1728, once marked a rosary path, transformed into a cross path around 1840.

Ranked a historical monument in 2015 after restorations begun in 1952, the chapel has recovered its original colours and statues from the 17th and 18th centuries, once scattered. Nearby, the Holy Chapel, clinging to a rocky wall, perpetuates the tradition of processions towards the original hermitage, especially during the Assumption and Nativity of the Virgin.

The site, located on an ancient axis of passage to Italy via the Col du Bonhomme, illustrates the importance of places of devotion in the Alpine valleys, mixing religious history, Savoyard Baroque architecture and natural heritage. Written sources, such as the pastoral visits of Saint Francis de Sales in 1606, attest to his central role in community life since the Middle Ages.

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