Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Priory Saint-Maurice du Bourget, founded in the 11th century by Saint-Odilon de Cluny, was one of the most prosperous monastic establishments in Savoie thanks to the support of the Maison de Savoie. Dedicated to Saint Maurice, patron of this dynasty, he enjoyed extensive privileges and donations, including those of Count Thomas II. The ruins of its castle, located nearby, testify to this alliance. The priory initially housed seven Benedictine monks and became a resort for the Counts, who owned a private lodge to attend the offices.

Current architecture, mainly Gothic, dates from the 13th and 15th centuries, although the crypt Notre-Dame-la-bass, a Romanesque vestige of the 11th century, still remains. This semicircular crypt, adorned with cul-de-four vaults, houses inscriptions dedicated to Mercury, suggesting a reuse of an ancient pagan temple. In the 13th century, the Counts of Savoy completed the reconstruction of the church and cloister, whose gallery Montmayeur, decorated with armored capitals, illustrates the influence of the local noble families. The carved jube of the choir, a polychrome masterpiece of the 15th century, depicts scenes of Christ's life in a Burgundian style.

The priory experienced a golden age in the 15th century under the impulse of the family of Luyrieu, who placed there three successive priors. Aynard de Luyrieu, then his nephews Oddon, undertook a complete renovation of the church and cloister, adding family coats of arms and flamboyant gothic elements such as the classified staircase. The Luyrieus, related to Savoy's house, made lasting mark of the site, their motto Belle without blame and their weapons (gold to the sand chevron) adorning capitals and stained glass windows. The library, with its gilded Cordoba leathers, and the capitular hall dedicated to Saint Claude testify to this blissful period.

The decline began in the 16th century with the transfer of the priory to the Jesuits (1582), then to the Franciscans (1773), before its sale as a national good during the Revolution. It was converted into a barn and then a private residence, and was saved in the 20th century by patrons: J. Barut, who had some of the buildings classified in 1900, and Lucy Tate, Duchess of Choiseul-Praslin, who restored the French gardens. Since 1952, the commune has owned and organized cultural events, such as the Les Voix du Prieuré festival.

Subsequent excavations and studies, like those of medievalist Laurent Ripart, revealed that the legendary foundation by Odilon de Cluny in 1030 was probably a false medieval. Rather, the archives suggest a creation between 1042 and 1045 under the leadership of Count Amédée I of Savoie, in the context of Clunisian expansion in Europe. The priory, classified Historic Monument (1900 for the church, 1910 for the cloister), remains a rare testimony of Romanesque and Gothic art in Savoy, mixing religious history, comtal power and artistic heritage.

External links