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Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Étienne church of Saint-Étienne-de-Lugdarès, known as Cathedral of the Mountain because of its exceptional size, is a Gothic building erected in the department of Ardèche, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Its architecture, described as a first-rate architect by Monsignor Bourret, combines granite and volcanic stones of various colours, with bichrome walls. Its history dates back partly to 1302, but its major reconstruction began in the 19th century, after decades of degradation due to the harsh climate of the ardèche plateau and post-revolutionary abandonment.

The modern construction of the church spanned from 1860 to 1886, marked by financial and technical challenges. In 1860, the bishop of Viviers proposed a reconstruction project, officially launched in 1874 after years of procrastination and fundraising (givers, woodcuts, local subscriptions). The specifications, signed in January 1874, were awarded to entrepreneur Henri Giraud for 83,217 francs, but the work was delayed in length, with malfeasance and replacement of the entrepreneur in 1878. The bell tower, estimated at 15,000 francs, is financed by additional wood cuts.

The church was consecrated on 29 May 1886, after a first celebration in 1880 (confirmation by Monsignor Bonnet). Its furniture, like the high altar from the Abbey of Chambons (Borne), and its stained glass windows are gradually installed. In 1879, the parish priest Vinson erected a path of the cross, while Monsignor Bourret supervised the iconography of stained glass (1885), representing local saints (Jean-François-Régis) and evangelical symbols. Major restoration took place in 1997-1998.

The history of the church is related to the Abbey of the Chambons, whose monks, expelled in 1791 after the Revolution, once managed the parish. The sale of their estate in 1791 left the church at the expense of the 1,689 inhabitants, with a parish priest paid 1,500 pounds by the state. Climate conditions and lack of resources accelerated its deterioration, until the first municipal subsidies in 1842 (500 francs).

A drama also marks its history: in 1874, the two-year-old daughter of entrepreneur Giraud, who died during the work, was buried in the church, under a slab near the north side altar. This detail illustrates the sacrifices and local attachment to this monument, a symbol of community resilience in the face of the financial and natural difficulties of the high plateau ardéchois.

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