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Origin and history

The collegiate Sainte-Marie de Clans, located in the Alpes-Maritimes, came into being in the 11th century when the fief de Clans, owned by the family of Glandèves, was transferred to the bishop of Nice. From this Romanesque period there remains a semicircular apse in moellons, adorned with leesenes, as well as the bell tower. The church was erected as a collegiate church in 1137 by Pope Innocent II at the request of Bishop Peter I, with a chapter of four canons, probably Augustinians. The founding documents have disappeared, but its ecclesiastical status marks its regional importance.

The reconstruction of the building began in 1572 with the porch, before a major renovation in Baroque style between 1681 and 1686, as evidenced by the date of 1684 engraved on the gate. The interior decorations (side altars, high altars) grow until the Revolution. The sacristy, added in 1774, and the consecration of the church by Bishop Valperga in 1784 marked the climax of his beautification. However, the French occupation in 1794 led to the abolition of the college and the sale of its property in 1796, although the Clansois had saved bells, sacred objects and registers.

After the return of Nice County to Savoy, the college was restored in 1830 thanks to the legacy of Archpriest Don Cagnoli, under the title of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The new statutes were published in 1838 by Bishop Galvano, but the incameration law of 1855 put an end to them. Ranked a historic monument in 2000, the church houses medieval frescoes (XIVth century, hunting scene with elephant) and a Grinda organ of 1792, restored in 1982, a rare witness of the French bill in an area dominated by Italian art.

The furniture includes two 16th century black stone bentos and retable fragments representing St. Martin and St.Agathe. The murals, inspired by Byzantines (early 13th or mid 14th century depending on the sources), illustrate episodes of the life of Saint Peter and an Annunciation. These elements highlight the mixture of artistic and religious influences that marked the history of this place.

The Grinda organ, commissioned in 1791 for 2,000 Piedmontese lire, was inaugurated in 1792 despite delays in payment related to the Revolution. Its restoration in 1981-1982 by Yves Cabourdin preserves 90% of its original components, making a unique example in the Alpes-Maritimes. The collegiate, today communal property, remains a symbol of the Niçois religious and artistic heritage, between medieval and Baroque heritage.

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