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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Megève came into being at the end of the 12th century, when Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Saint-Michel-de-la-Cluse founded a priory dedicated to Saint John the Baptist on the territory. The building was enlarged in the 14th century, then the nave rebuilt between 1687 and 1692. Two major fires, in 1728 and especially on 9 November 1754, partially destroyed the church, including the bell tower, which was restored in 1809 by Muffat de Saint-Amour. The present façade dates from 1879, while complete restorations took place in 1957 under the direction of architects Henry Jacques Le Same and Maurice Novarina.

The choir, dating back to the 16th century, and the nave of the 17th century preserved traces of painted decorations. In 1827, the Italian painter Mucengo made an interior decoration damaged by moisture, then restored in 1859 by J.B. Ferraris. The frescoes of the nave illustrate the life of Saint John the Baptist, while the collaterals depict scenes of Christ and the Virgin. An enamelled cross path, created in 1956 by Georges Gimel, and a carillon of 11 bells (including a listed Historic Monument, dating from 1783) enrich the building's heritage.

The church, classified as a Historic Monument in 1988, also houses a protected 18th century bentier. It was a central place for local processions, such as the Rogations in the 18th century, where the parishes of Megève and Combloux met alternately in their respective churches. The bells, cast by the Paccard and Lièvremont dynasties between 1783 and 1896, testify to the sound and spiritual importance of the building in the valley.

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