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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

La Chapelle Saint-Maur is a Catholic chapel located in the commune of Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, in the Alpes-Maritimes department. Built in the mid-16th century, it marks the beginning of the road leading to Auron. Its simple architecture, rectangular flat bedside, is surmounted by a vault in the middle of a hanger covered with a larch roof. The building is distinguished by its interior decoration entirely painted in the wet, a rare artistic ensemble for the era.

The chapel's murals are attributed to Andrea de Cella, an artist active in the region in the 16th century. Made after 1550, they illustrate the legends of Saint Sebastian and Saint Maur, covering vaults and side walls. These frescoes, executed in a style characteristic of the primitive Nice painters, bear witness to the Italian artistic influence in the Southern Alps during the Renaissance. The chapel, a communal property, was classified as historical monuments on 27 March 2000 for its exceptional heritage value.

The location of the chapel, about 2 km from the centre of Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, suggests a role both religious and symbolic for travellers on the road to Auron. Its late ranking (2000) reflects a gradual awareness of the rich rural heritage of the Alpes-Maritimes. The studies carried out, such as those of Christiane Lorgues-Lapouge or Paul Roque, underline its importance in the history of regional sacred art, particularly for the understanding of cultural exchanges between Nice County and neighbouring Italy.

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