Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame-du-Thor, located in Oraison in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, was built in 1662 and has an architecture combining Gothic elements (ddogives cross, broken arches) from the 15th to 16th centuries and Romanesque (arcs in the middle of the five). Its history is marked by successive restorations, including that of its tower raised in 1885 to reach 33 meters. It houses a 17th century bell, originally from the village of Ubaye, which was swallowed up in 1958 when the Serre-Ponçon dam was created. This bell, installed in 1962, is famous for its appearance in Jean Giono's film L.

The building preserves a remarkable movable heritage: a 17th century painting, classified in 1995, represents the Adoration of the Magi, while an 18th century work, inscribed in the additional inventory, illustrates the Death of St Joseph in a golden setting. The latter was restored in 1993. The baptismal vats, dating from the 19th to 20th centuries, evoke the baptism of Christ, highlighting the artistic and historical richness of the site.

The church embodies a complex religious and architectural heritage, where medieval and modern influences overlap. Its bell tower, symbol of the local landscape, and its classified works make it a privileged witness to Provencal history, between faith, art and territorial transformations. The bell, surviving from a missing village, adds a unique memorial dimension to this monument.

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