Montagny offers a focus on cultural history centred on churches, chapels and a barrel organ. Its architectural history ranges from chapels built before the pastoral visit of 1633 to the Church of the Très Saint Sacrement, constructed between 1900 and 1903. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for your stay in Montagny, you can choose your destination based on a specific interest: religious architecture, historical dedications and artworks are the main focus here.
Church and Barrel Organ
The Church of the Très Saint Sacrement was built in the neo-Gothic style between 1900 and 1903. The church in Montagny also houses a barrel organ. It has a keyboard with six stops, a crank for operating the barrels and 24 barrels. These features give the instrument its own cultural-historical significance alongside the architecture. On 1 March 1984, the barrel organ was placed under protection as a listed object. This date refers to the organ’s protection; the period from 1900 to 1903, by contrast, is the church’s construction period.
Chapels with Their Own Histories
The Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation is located in the hamlet of La Thuile in Montagny and had already been built under the name Notre-Dame-des-Grâces before the pastoral visit of 1633. Its furnishings include a Baroque altarpiece with gilding and chubby-cheeked angel figures. An altarpiece is an altar screen; the figures and gilding therefore draw attention to a distinctive artistic feature alongside the building’s history.
The Chapel of Saint Bon in the village of La Roche in Montagny was built in 1650 and is dedicated to Saint Bon. The altarpiece depicts Saint Bon together with Francis de Sales and Blessed Amadeus of Savoy; the Virgin Mary is shown above them. The history of the Chapel of Saint-Roch in the village of Le Villard in Montagny goes back further: it was built shortly before the pastoral visit of 1633. Its altarpiece depicts Notre-Dame de Pitié, Saint John the Evangelist, Saint Roch and Saint Apollonia.
The altarpieces offer an opportunity to compare the artworks: gilding and angel figures distinguish the artistic feature at Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation, while different religious figures are depicted at Saint Bon and Saint-Roch. When visiting the chapels, you can therefore use the different motifs as a guide to your interests, as well as considering their construction dates.
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges: Views and Pilgrimage
The Chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges was built in 1750 following a vow and rebuilt closer to the villages in 1891. It overlooks the entire valley and stands at the junction of the road to Le Villard and the road that climbs uphill from the village centre towards Moranche. It is open daily throughout the year; the pilgrimage to Notre-Dame-des-Neiges on 15 August still takes place. The timings differ: daily opening applies all year round, while the pilgrimage takes place on 15 August.
Discover more destinations: Sainte-Hélène-Sur-Isère, Aillon-Le-Jeune, Vions, Lanslevillard, Val-D'isère, Le Pré, Challes-Les-Eaux, Saint-Alban-de-Montbel
For the regional travel overview: Savoie.
