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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Laurent church of La Roche-de-Rame, located in the Hautes-Alpes, is a Gothic building built in the 14th century, although its origin dates back to a first consecration by Saint Pelade, Archbishop of Embrun, in the 6th century. The present church results from the transfer of the parish of Rame, authorized in 1444 by the Archbishop of Embrun. Its architecture is characterized by a unique nave of two spans, a vaulted chorus, and a bell tower-wall with two levels of arcades, rhythmic by pilasters connected by broken arches. The cut stone elements (columns, arches, gate) are made of local pink marble, while the vaults and bell tower use tuf. An engraved date, 1555, appears on the pilastre plinth, suggesting work or modification at this time.

The interior, covered with a badigeon, preserves a sober structure: the girdles of the choir fall back on caps, and the central double, supported by two committed columns, incorporates a wood draught. The western gate, archvoltous, forms a light forebody on the facade. A vaulted sacristy in cradle, later added against the north side of the choir, completes the ensemble. The church, classified as a Historic Monument by decree of 24 December 1913, belongs to the commune. Its history reflects the evolution of a medieval place of worship, marked by local materials and architecture adapted to its Alpine environment.

The construction of the present building is part of a parish reorganization in the 15th century, with the movement of the religious center from Rame to La Roche-de-Rame. The pink marble, typical of the region, and the tuff, light volcanic material, illustrate the adaptation to the available resources. The date of 1555 could be a phase of renovation or beautification, after the initial construction. The church, with its bell tower and its bare nave, embodies the rural religious architecture of the Southern Alps, combining functionality and late Gothic symbolism.

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