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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Saint-Maurice de Saint-Maurice-d'Échazeaux church, located in Corveissiat, Ain, dates back to the 2nd half of the 12th century, although its present state mainly reflects the transformations of the 14th century. Ranked a historical monument in 1941, it was originally attached to the abbey of Saint-Oyen (confirmed in 1084 and 1184 as Saint-Maurice-de-la-Roche). It served as a mother parish for neighbouring villages, including Chaléa (Jura) and Corveissiat. Its simple architecture—long rectangular nave of a flat choir—and its broken cradle vaults bear witness to its medieval heritage. A secondary altar dedicated to Notre-Dame was added in the 17th century by a radlier merchant, Simon Faisand.

Perched on a cliff at an altitude of 250 metres, the church offers a unique panorama of the confluence of the Ain and Valouse, as well as of the castle of Conflans (XIIIth century), a former comtois border post. The site, surrounded by a cemetery, also housed a sacristy and porch, destroyed in 1894. The lauze roofs (repaired in the 18th century) and paved slab floors (1782) complete its rustic character. Nearby, the ruins of the castle of Mont-Didier (11th century), during excavations, recall the strategic importance of the area.

The furniture includes a statue of St.Mauritius in polychrome wood, a wall tabernacle, a Gothic bentier and octagonal baptismal fonts. Major repairs took place in the 18th century (roof by architect Dreux), while in the 17th century parishioners warmed up with a central fire in the nave, as reported by a visitor in 1655. Since 2015, the Association for the Protection of the Church (ASESME) has been carrying out restoration work, supported by the Heritage Foundation, to preserve this historic place.

The church has several historical names: Saint-Maurice de la Roche ("de Rupe"), Saint-Maurice de Chaléa, or des Chasaux (from the Latin casale, designating a house in ruins). These appellations reflect its anchor in a territory marked by exchanges between Bresse and Jura. The wall bell tower, now reduced to its stump, and the windows behind the original building highlight its architectural evolutions.

Ranked among the historical monuments of Ain, the church illustrates the rural religious heritage of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Its website, managed by ASESME, documents the stages of its restoration, while resources such as Mérimée or Clochers de France detail its characteristics. Close to the Bugey Mountains, she remains a witness to the links between spirituality, territorial defence and community life in the Middle Ages.

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