Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Châtillon-sur-Cluses found its origins in the 12th century, where it was first known as the chapel of Béatrice de Faucigny, nicknamed "La grande Dauphine". This first Romanesque building already marked the religious landscape of the valley, linked to the influence of the powerful Faucigny family on the region. The frescoes later discovered, dating from the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, bear witness to this medieval period rich in sacred art.

In the 16th century, during the Bernese invasion (1589), the local castle was destroyed, and its castral chapel became the heart of the present Saint Martin church. The stones of the demolished castle were used for its expansion, illustrating a typical post-conflict reuse of materials. This reshaping gave the building a hybrid structure, combining a castral heritage and a parish vocation.

At the end of the 20th century, the church, which was in a state of degradation, was the subject of a major restoration campaign in 2016. This work revealed hidden medieval frescoes, providing a new light on his artistic past. Today, the monument embodies both a religious heritage, a seigneurial memory (Faucigny) and an example of the preservation of the historical building in Haute-Savoie.

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