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Origin and history

The Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais church of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, dedicated to two first-century martyrs, has its origins in a cult broadcast since Milan in the ninth century. The parish was attested in the 12th century, with bells dated 1108 and 1159, and a first written mention possible in 1137. The present steeple, untied, preserves four medieval floors (XIVth-XVIth centuries), while the church, described as poor in 1440, is attached to the collegiate church of Sallanches in 1576.

The Baroque reconstruction was launched in 1696 for 1400 florins, entrusted to the master masons Jean de la Vougniaz (also active in Chamonix) and Pierre de L'Esglise. Consecrated in 1702 by the Bishop of Geneva, the church incorporated a bulb bell tower in 1819 and a neoclassical high altar carved by Jean Eichorn in 1822. The bell tower, struck by lightning in 1792, is the only vestige of the medieval building.

Ranked a historic monument in 1987 (classified door, registered nave), the church reveals in 2016 a hidden cross of consecration and welcomes contemporary stained glass windows by Kim En Joong. Its architecture combines a nave with a low side, a beam of 17th century glory, and a facade decorated with pilasters and a statue of the Virgin. The relics of the patron saints, invented in the fourth century by Ambroise de Milan, anchor its history in transalpine exchanges.

Protected furnishings include a monumental neoclassical altarpiece and two side altars. The bell tower, accessible by two third-point doors, houses a clock and bays paired with upper floors. The restoration of 2016 highlighted paintings of the roof advance, illustrating biblical scenes such as the Resurrection or martyrdom of St Stephen.

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