Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy
| Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy | |
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Location | Passy, Haute-Savoie |
| Geographic coordinates | 45°56′22″N 6°42′38″E / 45.93944°N 6.71056°ECoordinates: 45°56′22″N 6°42′38″E / 45.93944°N 6.71056°E |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Country | France |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Maurice Novarina |
| Architectural type | church |
| Architectural style | modern |
| Groundbreaking | 1937 |
| Completed | 1946 |
The church of Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy (Our Lady Full of Grace of the Plateau d'Assy) is a Roman Catholic church in France, constructed on the plateau d'Assy between 1937 and 1946. It faces Mont Blanc, and is within the territory of the commune of Passy, in the Haute-Savoie department. Constructed at the urging of canon Jean Devémy and designed by the Savoyard architect Maurice Novarina, the church is celebrated for its decoration, contributed by some of the best-known artists of the twentieth century. It is also viewed as an important landmark in the development of modern sacred art; its consecration in 1950 caused much consternation within the ranks of the clergy of France, who had hitherto been accustomed to more traditionally classical structures.
On June 11, 2004, Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy was classed as a monument historique de France.
Before World War II, the plateau d'Assy was known as a spa area, and was especially popular with sufferers of tuberculosis. At one point close to twenty sanatoriums could be found in the area. Some of these were equipped with small chapels, while others were visited by chaplains who catered to the sick. There was, however, no church for the area.
In 1935, Jean Devémy, then serving as chaplain to the sanatorium of Sancellemoz, hit upon the idea of building a church dedicated to serving not only the sick of the spas, but also the personnel who worked at them. With the blessing of the bishop of Annecy, Florent du Bois de la Villerabel, he decided to hold an architectural contest to design the new structure. The contest took place in 1937, and was won by the young architect Maurice Novarina. Novarina's plan was to use materials native to the region in the construction of the church; this would include various types of stone - including slate - and wood. The work would be given to local concerns. Construction began in 1938 and was for the most part concluded at the start of World War II.
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