Église Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy

Église Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy is a modern church building featuring a spacious rectangular interior with a semicircular choir space and a separate bell tower. The structure uses local green sandstone combined with spruce wood, creating a design that adapts to the Alpine setting.

The church was designed and constructed between 1937 and 1946 during a period when the region needed places of healing and hope. It responded to the arrival of mountain sanatoriums treating respiratory illness and the spiritual needs of patients during recovery.

The church's name reflects its mission to offer spiritual comfort during difficult times. Inside, the space shows how artists and faith makers worked together to create something that felt both modern and deeply meaningful to people seeking solace.

The church sits on a mountain plateau and remains accessible most of the year, though winter weather can make driving challenging. The building's deep protective overhang provides shelter, and the surrounding walking paths open up fully from late spring through early fall.

The main facade displays a striking large mosaic by Fernand Léger showing Mary surrounded by nine symbolic figures connected to prayers of devotion. This work stands out as one of the most memorable examples of how mid-century artists brought contemporary visual language to religious spaces.

Location: Passy

Inception: 1946

Architects: Maurice Novarina

Creator: Jean René Bazaine, Pierre Bonnard, Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Ladislas Kijno, Fernand Léger, Jean Lurçat, Henri Matisse, Germaine Richier, Georges Rouault, Jacques Lipchitz, Marguerite Huré, Théodore Strawinsky, Carlo Sergio Signori, Adeline Hébert-Stevens

Architectural style: modern architecture

Elevation above the sea: 1,000 m

Address: Plateau d'Assy

GPS coordinates: 45.93944,6.71056

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:27