Church of Our Lady of the Assumption en Savoie

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Origin and history

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption of Samoëns, first mentioned in 1167, was destroyed in 1476 during the Bernese invasion. Gradually rebuilt, it became a collegiate body in 1575 after being freed from the Abbey of Sixt. The oldest parts still visible today are the base of the bell tower (XIII century) and the chapel Saint-Claude (XV century). The works lasted several centuries: porch and right side, completed in 1555, choir in 1605, left side in 1621, and sacristy in 1840.

The Revolution abandoned the building, which became a parish church again in 1802. In the 19th century, the famous stone tailors of Samoëns contributed to its beautification, notably with the black marble bentier (1844). In 1917, Marie-Louise Cognacq-Jaÿ, founder of Samoëns' La Samaritaine and native stores, financed an interior renovation in a neo-Gothic style. The church was completely restored between 1978 and 1982, before being listed for historical monuments in 1987.

The bell tower, the oldest part, lost its four bell towers during the Revolution, replaced by a flat roof. The 1555 gate, decorated with the coat of arms of Bishop Biord and Cardinal Gerdil (born in Samoëns), is shifted from the axis of the nave due to a flood of the Clervious. The lateral naves, asymmetrical, house a choir in the form of a half-dodecagon (1605), illuminated by stained glass windows of 1982 depicting the local saints and prominent figures of Samolian history.

The interior preserves remarkable elements: a wooden chair in Louis XIII style (1699), a marble altar dated 1775, and an original vault key (family Savoie-Nemours) replaced in 1917. The chapel of Saint-Claude houses baptismal fonts of 1717 surmounted by wooden furniture. A Baroque statue of Virgin with Child, supposedly inspired by Anne of Austria and Louis XIV, illustrates the Savoyard artistic influence of the 18th century.

In 2017, a large 48-game organ, originally built in 1955 for a Swiss temple, was installed after a complete renovation. This instrument, acquired by the municipality, replaces an out-of-service organ and integrates into the musical tradition of the building, linked to the exceptional craftsmanship of the Masons of Samoëns, whose works marked the church for centuries.

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