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Origin and history

The Church of the Cordeliers, also known as the Church of Saint-Nicolas-des-Franciscans-de-l'Observance, is a Catholic religious building located in Cluses, Haute-Savoie. Originally church of the convent of Cordeliers, it is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. A wall inscription evokes a primitive church dating back to the eighth century, but this claim lacks reliable sources. The first mention of a priest dates from 1247, and a Franciscan convent settled there in 1471 after a papal bubble.

The present church was consecrated in 1485. During the French Revolution, its bell tower was dismantled during the occupation of the Duchy of Savoie. In 1847 it replaced the church of the Faubourg Saint-Nicolas, considered too degraded, thus becoming the parish church of Cluses. Nearby, a monument dedicated to musician François Curt (1791-1859), erected in 1930, adorns the Garden of the Cordeliers.

The church's historic furniture included a chiseled bentier around 1520 and seven paintings from the convent's refectory. Today, it remains an active place of worship, led since 2014 by Father Alexander Dinety. Its history reflects the religious and political evolutions of Savoy, between medieval heritage and revolutionary transformations.

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