Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Barthélemy de Lans-en-Vercors came into being in 1080, where a first building was mentioned as the ecclesiam of Lanceo. At the end of the 12th century, a Romanesque church replaced it, with two chapels, one of which was dedicated to Saint Barthélemy. The latter became the patron saint of the church in the 17th century, although the parish was still called Notre-Dame de Lans in 1513. The current bell tower, dating from the beginning of the seventeenth century, is a trapu style with an octagonal stone arrow. It was partially inscribed in the historic monuments in 1929, as was a bell of 1610 classified, bearing the inscription IESVS MARIA SANCTVS BARTOLOMEVS ORA PRO NOBIS.

The nave, entirely rebuilt in 1896 in a neo-Gothic style, contrasts with the preserved Romanesque choir, vaulted in warhead and adorned with a marble master altar. The pentagonal bedside, inspired by the Gothic, and the turret-framed facade illustrate the successive transformations. The adjoining priory, with its 17th century turret, symbolizes the nobiliary privileges of the Old Regime. The stained glass windows, signed Jean-Baptiste Jandet, and the relics of Saint Barthélemy, exhibited at the end of August, testify to active parish life.

After the Revolution, the appointment of parish priests came under the exclusive authority of the Bishop of Grenoble. In 2000, the parish of Lans-en-Vercors incorporated the parish complex La Croix de Valchevrière, comprising eight bell towers. The church, still in operation, also served as the setting in 2001 for the film A swallow made the spring, marking its local cultural anchor.

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