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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Megève found its origins at the end of the 12th century, around 1085, when Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Saint-Michel-de-la-Cluse founded a priory dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. The building was enlarged in the 14th century, and the nave was rebuilt between 1687 and 1692. Two major fires, in 1728 and especially on 9 November 1754, partially destroyed the church, including its bell tower, which was restored in 1809 by Muffat de Saint-Amour. The façade was rebuilt in 1879, and complete restorations were carried out in 1957 under the direction of architects Henry Jacques Le Same and Maurice Novarina.

The interior of the church, decorated after 1827 by Italian painter Mucengo, was restored in 1859 by J.B. Ferraris. In 1956, artist Georges Gimel installed a cross path enamelled with precious metallic oxides. The building has a carillon of 11 bells, some dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, cast by the fondeurs Paccard and Lièvremont. The heaviest, weighing 3,000 kg, is one of the largest in Haute-Savoie.

The church has been protected as historical monuments since 1988, notably for its 19th century bell tower and an 18th century bentier. It was at the heart of traditional processions, such as that of the Rogations in the eighteenth century, where the parishes of Megève and Combloux met alternately in their respective churches. These practices reflect the religious and community importance of the building in the Savoyard region.

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