Saint Peter's Church of La Garde-en-Oisans dans l'Isère

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Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Saint-Pierre de La Garde-en-Oisans, located in the commune of La Garde en Isère, is mentioned for the first time in 1058 in a donation to the Abbey of Oulx by Lord Adam. She then became the first priory dependent on this abbey, controlling several local parishes such as Besse, Auris or Huez. This status makes it a central religious place in the region, with extensive spiritual and administrative influence.

In the seventeenth century, the church, its cloister and its convent buildings fell into ruins. Only the church is restored, while the rest of the structures are abandoned. In 1677, a sundial was added to its southern façade, reflecting a desire for modernization despite the partial decline of the site. The building was then sold as a national property during the Revolution, before being bought by the commune of La Garde in the early 19th century.

In 2013, the belfry of the church, badly damaged, was undergoing major renovation. A third bell, named "Aurélie Nathalie Thérèze" and weighing 190 kg, is installed and blessed during a solemn ceremony presided over by Bishop Guy de Kérimel, Bishop of Grenoble. This renovation, supported by the Fondation du Patrimoine and private donors, is part of the continuation of a legacy of the early twentieth century by the teacher Jules Maximin Vieux. The other two bells, "Marguerite-Agathe" (1838) and "Marie" (1728), complete this historical sound ensemble.

Architecturally, the church is distinguished by its unique nave of 10.8 m by 5.9 m, its vaulted choir in cradle and its 11th century bell tower, considered the oldest part. The latter, in tufa, has an octagonal arrow decorated with lumbar bands and modillons. Inside, a beam of glory separates the nave from the choir, while a side chapel is set up to the north. The building also housed a silver chalice of the seventeenth century, classified as a historical monument in 2004, illustrating its rich furniture heritage.

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