Chapelle de Concise
Monument
Chapelle de Concise, located in Thonon-les-Bains (Département 74), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Thonon-les-Bains, Département 74, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 46.3798, 6.4860
- Mérimée Reference
- PA74000028
Nestling in the Chablais region of Savoie, the chapel at Concise bears the imprint of seven centuries of history: from its first medieval name to the recatholicisation sought by François de Sales, this discreet jewel is full of meaning.
History
In the heart of the old town of Thonon-les-Bains, in the historic district of Concise, a modest chapel conceals a rare historical depth. Listed as a Monument Historique in 2015, it is not one of those buildings that overwhelm with their monumentality, but one of those that captivate with their authenticity: walls that have survived the Reformation, the plague and the Wars of Religion, without ever losing their spiritual vocation. What makes the chapel at Concise so special is precisely the density of its history. Born in the 13th century as a parish church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, enlarged in the following century, abandoned during the Bernese occupation, then restored at the behest of Saint François de Sales: each stone bears witness to a chapter in the history of Savoie. Few buildings of this size can boast a direct link with a canonised saint. Visiting the church is a contemplative and intimate experience. The interior, modest in size, invites contemplation: the light is soft, filtered through small windows that maintain an atmosphere of semi-darkness conducive to meditation. Fans of medieval architecture will be able to read the different phases of construction in the walls, while those with a passion for regional history will find here a striking summary of the history of the Chablais region. The setting adds to the charm of the place. Thonon-les-Bains, overlooking Lake Geneva from its natural terraces, offers an exceptional environment. The chapel at Concise fits into this Franco-Savoyard landscape with elegant discretion, just a stone's throw from the quays and vineyards of the Chablais region. An ideal cultural stop-off between a lakeside stroll and a visit to the historic centre of the town of Allinges.
Architecture
The architecture of the chapel at Concise is typical of Savoyard church buildings from the medieval period, the result of several construction campaigns spread over the 13th to 17th centuries. Its elongated plan, characteristic of small rural parish churches, reflects the successive extensions made in the 14th and 17th centuries: the addition of a further bay at the beginning of the 15th century and the work commissioned by François de Sales in 1621 gave the building its definitive appearance. The single nave, of modest proportions, is built around a choir probably with a pointed barrel vault, in keeping with the regional Gothic tradition that continued in Savoyard rural buildings well beyond the great periods of medieval art. Externally, the chapel displays the robust sobriety of Alpine buildings: thick walls built from local stone quarried in the Chablais region, a steeply pitched roof adapted to the harsh pre-alpine winters, and a bell tower or small ridge tower signalling the building's religious vocation from the street. The 17th-century alterations, while respecting the medieval framework, were able to introduce a few discreet Baroque elements, in keeping with the taste of the post-Tridentine era, which had a profound influence on Savoy under Piedmontese and Roman influence. Inside, the space is characterised by an atmosphere of meditative simplicity. The chapel dedicated to Saint Michael, added during the Gothic extension, forms a side space that enriches the spatial composition. The walls probably retain traces of old plasterwork and perhaps the remains of mural paintings, while the liturgical furnishings reflect the different periods of devotion that have animated the building over the centuries.
Related Figures
Pape Innocent IV — dont la bulle de 1250 constitue la première mention documentée de la paroisse de ConciseSaint François de Sales (1567-1622) — évêque de Genève et apôtre du Chablais, qui ordonna la restauration et l'agrandissement de l'église en 1621Saint Sébastien — martyr romain adopté comme nouveau patron de l'église en 1630, invoqué contre les épidémies de pesteSaint Michel — archange auquel fut dédiée la chapelle latérale construite au XIVe-XVe siècleSaint Jean-Baptiste — premier patron de l'église paroissiale médiévale, dont le vocable fut remplacé en 1630
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chapelle de Concise located?
Chapelle de Concise is located in Thonon-les-Bains, Département 74 department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France.
When was Chapelle de Concise built?
Chapelle de Concise dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Chapelle de Concise open to visitors?
Chapelle de Concise is currently closed to visitors.