Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine
Monument
Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine, located in Cornier (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
- Cornier, Département 74, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 46.0927, 6.3201
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00118385
Nestling in the Haute-Savoie region of France, this late 15th-century Gothic chapel fascinates visitors with its two superimposed portals of pointed and semi-circular arches, and its three liturgical pools built into the walls - a remarkably sober medieval setting.
History
In the heart of the Cornier region, between the green hills of Haute-Savoie and the changing lights of Faucigny, the Maladière-de-Veige chapel - dedicated to Saint Madeleine - stands with the haughty discretion of medieval buildings that have stood the test of time without trying to impose themselves. Small but perfectly finished, this rectangular structure dating from the late 15th century embodies the authenticity of Savoyard rural religious architecture: an economy of means elevated to the level of art. What makes the Sainte-Madeleine chapel truly singular is the coexistence, on the same façade, of two portals in slightly different styles - one crowned with a classical pointed arch, the other with a flamboyant pointed arch - as if two hands, two generations or two ambitions had succeeded one another in its design. This formal duality, rare for such a modest building, betrays an attention to detail that goes beyond mere utilitarian function. Inside, the two cross-vaulted bays create a space of restrained elegance. The keystones and ribs trace their network on the stone with a precision that testifies to the skill of the Faucigny carvers. But it is the presence of three liturgical pools cut into the walls that surprises the attentive visitor: a functional luxury for a building of this size, revealing an intense sacramental life and a community concerned about the proper performance of its rites. To visit the Maladière chapel is to escape the noise of the world and enter a different time. The light filters through soberly, the vaults impose silence, and it's easy to understand why this building, long associated with a "maladrerie" - a place where the outcasts of society were cared for and welcomed - has managed to retain an atmosphere of particular density. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1932, it enjoys a well-deserved protection that guarantees it will be passed on to future generations.
Architecture
The Maladière-de-Veige chapel has a rectangular plan with two bays of great formal simplicity: one for the choir, the other for the nave. This bipartite layout, common in 15th-century Savoyard rural chapels, allows a clear liturgical distinction between the space reserved for the celebrant and that for the faithful, while maintaining a spatial unity conducive to contemplation. The two bays are cross-vaulted, the quintessential Gothic construction system, with stone ribs converging on keystones that form the decorative highlights of the interior. The façade is the most elaborate part of the building. It is pierced by two portals, the arches of which reveal two complementary late Gothic vocabularies: a pointed arch, sober and structural, and a more ornamental accolade arch, the double-curved shape of which is characteristic of the flamboyant style of the second half of the 15th century. This duality gives the façade a character that is both didactic and delicate. The walls, probably built from local limestone or tufa, materials that are abundant in the Faucigny region, bear witness to the meticulous workmanship of regional craftsmen. Inside, the most remarkable feature is the presence of three liturgical pools carved into the walls. These niches with basins were used to drain off the water used during sacramental rites - ablutions for the priest, purification of the sacred vessels. Having three of them in such a small space suggests either particularly rigorous liturgical organisation or the existence of secondary altars, each with its own pool, which would be consistent with devotional practices in the late Middle Ages.
Related Figures
Sainte Marie-Madeleine — sainte patronne de la chapelle, figure tutélaire de la pénitence et de la miséricordeCommanditaires locaux anonymes du XVe siècle — donateurs et seigneurs du Faucigny ayant financé la constructionMaîtres d'œuvre savoyards de la fin du XVe siècle — tailleurs de pierre ayant réalisé les voûtes sur croisées d'ogives et les portailsAdministrateurs de la maladrerie médiévale — religieux ou laïcs responsables de l'accueil des malades et de la vie liturgique du lieu
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine located?
Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine is located in Cornier, Département 74 department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France.
When was Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine built?
Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine open to visitors?
Chapelle de la Maladière-de-Veige ou Sainte-Madeleine is currently closed to visitors.