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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Laurent de Crots, located in the Hautes-Alpes, is a Romanesque building built in the 14th century, probably after the destruction of an ancient sanctuary by the provençal roadmen. Nicknamed "la Mignonne" by the archbishops of Emprun, it illustrates a stylistic transition with Gothic elements, such as its vaulted nave in a broken cradle and its choir with cross-gives. Its Romanesque portal, decorated with carved capitals, was once preceded by a porch inspired by the cathedral of Embrun, demolished in the 19th century to expand the public highway.

In the 17th century, the church was renovated in the context of the Counter-Reform, with the addition of four side chapels out of the six existing ones, including one dedicated to Saint Joseph and another, now walled, reserved for the lords of the Crottes. The Lombard-inspired bell tower, erected in 1828, and the 19th-century stained glass windows bearing the arms of the Roman d'Amat family testify to subsequent changes. The building, once surrounded by the cemetery until the mid-19th century, was classified as a historic monument in 1978.

The interior houses remarkable furniture, including a processional silver cross (17th century), a painting of the Assumption of the Virgin, and a copy of the Martyr of Saint Laurent of Eustache Le Sueur. The high altar, a polychrome plaster replica of the cathedral of Embrun, was partially mutilated after Vatican II. Polls revealed two layers of frescoes: one medieval and another 17th century, in trompe l'oeil. The larch stand (18th century) and frescoes highlight its rich artistic and religious heritage.

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