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Origin and history

The church Saint-Maurice de Doussard, located in Haute-Savoie, finds its origins in medieval mentions. From 867-868, Lothaire II of Lotharingie and his wife Thiedberge, and in 879 King Boson of Provence, donated land to the Abbey of Tournus. In 1016, Queen Hermengarde, wife of Rodolphe III of Burgundy, received Doussard and in 1030-1031, she offered the parish and its church to the abbey of Talloires. A papal confirmation of Eugene III attests the dedication to Saint Maurice. The original location, today in the Bout-du-Lac nature reserve, is marked by a cross found in 1960.

In the 18th century, the medieval church, which had become too small, was rebuilt between 1736 and 1737 by reusing a portal of 1563 and its bell tower. This building was damaged by the French revolutionary occupation in the Duchy of Savoy. The fire and the disturbances of this period weaken the building, requiring further reconstruction.

The present church, founded on 13 October 1850 and consecrated on 2 August 1853 by Bishop Louis Rendu, adopts a Sardinian neo-classical style. Its facade, decorated with pilasters and a grey marble cornice, is built in local lime. Composed of three vaulted naves and a dome, it houses a black stone altar veined in white, extracted from the La Serraz mountain. A fire in 1967 destroyed a 1929 fresco depicting Saint Maurice, while the organ, installed in 1967 and restored in 2005, bears witness to its artistic heritage.

The stained glass windows, known for their quality, and the successive restorations (2004-2005) highlight the local attachment to this place of worship. The church, integrated into the parish of Saint Joseph in the country of Faverges, remains a historical and religious symbol of the region.

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