L'église Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul

Dating back to the 12th century, the oldest church in Abriès is remembered today by the 2 stylophoric lions on either side of the western portal. The church underwent construction at the beginning of the 15th century, giving its bell tower a stone spire.
But its current architecture dates back to the early 17th century, as evidenced by the date 1620 on the bell tower. The nave was enlarged in the 18th century.
In 1864, major works were carried out on the church, raising the whole building by 2 m to allow more light in. The work, directed by the departmental architect Goulain, required great care in the choice of materials and the implementation of the gypsum decor and architectural features, treated as faux marble.
The project to raise the building deliberately spared the decoration on the flat vault of the choir and the painted wooden dome.
This architectural approach to conservation and reintegration is remarkable for the time. A wealth of furnishings completes the interior décor, including a series of altarpieces in the transept and choir.
The architectural and artistic interest of the Abriès church are visible both in the evidence of its fortunately-preserved medieval origins (bell tower, stylophore lions) and in its successive additions, such as the 16th-century portal, the carpentry dome or the painted choir vault, which have been carefully preserved or enhanced to give the ensemble a remarkably harmonious look.
That’s why the church was listed as a historic monument on 7 February 2014, along with the neighbouring Penitents' chapel and the compound, which form a parish complex now rarely found in the department.

Show less