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Origin and history

La croix du clos du Pin is a stone road cross located in the Grand-Bornand, Haute-Savoie department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Dated from 1500, it has been listed as a Historic Monument since April 28, 1944. Originally, it was at the entrance of the Bouchet Valley, at the so-called "Pin" site, but was moved in 1988 to the hamlet of Lormay due to road works. This Greek-shaped cross with an empty niche at the cross of arms bears a Latin inscription indicating its date of realization.

This cross is the oldest in the commune, erected well before the other local crosses, which date mostly from the 19th and 20th centuries. It is distinguished by its base and its arms of square section, typical of medieval road crosses. The niche, originally intended to house a statuette that has now disappeared, and the inscription engraved under it ("this work was done by honest [unknown] (dated) 1500"), make it a rare testimony of Savoyard religious art of the late Middle Ages.

Classified as a historical monument with a 500-metre protection perimeter, this cross belongs to the commune of Grand-Bornand. Its move in 1988, motivated by the widening of the Bouchet road, illustrates the challenges of preserving monuments in the face of modern developments. It remains accessible to the public, although its current location outside the village is less frequented than its original location.

Available sources, including Wikipedia and the Merimée base, highlight its heritage importance in a cross-road department, often linked to later religious missions. Its sober style and Latin inscription are a subject of study for historians of Alpine art and spirituality.

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