Initial construction XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
Building built on an old castle.
1904-1909
Reconstruction of the church
Reconstruction of the church 1904-1909 (≈ 1907)
New building perpendicular to the first.
1910
Destruction of the first church
Destruction of the first church 1910 (≈ 1910)
Former building demolished after reconstruction.
1960
Adding stained glass
Adding stained glass 1960 (≈ 1960)
Modern interior ornamentation.
1973-1974
Repair of the bell tower
Repair of the bell tower 1973-1974 (≈ 1974)
Work conducted by Albert Buisson.
1995
Heritage inventory
Heritage inventory 1995 (≈ 1995)
Listed as cultural property.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Registered MH
Key figures
Fleury Raillon - Departmental architect
Designed the new church (1904-1909).
Albert Buisson - Local entrepreneur
Repair the bell tower (1973-1974).
G. Grenat - Architect
Interior restoration in 1975.
Origin and history
The church Saint-Laurent de Châtel is a Catholic religious building located in the department of Haute-Savoie, in the heart of the commune of Châtel, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Its history began in the 17th century when it was erected at the site of an old castle, marking a transition between a defensive site and a place of worship. This first building, oriented differently from the current one, already showed the spiritual and community importance of the village.
Between 1904 and 1909, a new church was built according to the plans of the departmental architect Fleury Raillon, originally from Annecy. Made of local stone, it adopts an orientation perpendicular to the old one, which will be destroyed in 1910. This project marks a modernization of the building, adapted to the liturgical and aesthetic needs of the period. The stained glass windows, added in 1960, as well as the subsequent restorations – such as that of the bell tower by Albert Buisson (1973-74) or the interior works carried out by architect G. Grenat in 1975 – underline its continuous evolution.
The church was officially listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage in 1995, recognizing its historical and architectural value. Its bell tower, stained glass windows and its integration into the Savoyard landscape make it a symbol of local heritage, linked to both the Christian faith and the rural history of Haute-Savoie. The sources also mention its connection to the diocese of Annecy, confirming its role in the regional religious organization.
