The Pearl

The Chapelle Notre Dame du Lac is a privately-owned property that forms part of the historic estate of the village of Nernier. The purpose of the Notre Dame du Lac association is to safeguard, restore and maintain the chapel.Abbé Favre erects a sanctuary dedicated to the Mother of God under the name of Notre Dame du Lac. He was looking for a suitable plot of land on which to build this religious edifice, and proposed that the commune sell him a plot of land at La Luche du Crot, between Chemin du Cré and Chemin de Frize. In 1856, the municipal council agreed to the construction of the chapel. But it was not until August 1, 1862, that the municipal council agreed to sell the land for the modest sum of 50 francs. The council's deliberations include an essential clause in the contract: "Should the chapel be demolished or cease to be used as a religious service, the land will revert to the Commune by right and without indemnity". As the parcel of land sold was not sufficient, Abbé Favre asked the Comte d'Antioche, who owned the adjacent meadow, to add to the extent of the land by making a donation. In order to build the chapel, Abbé Favre opened a bazaar in Nernier and went begging in Lyon and even as far as Paris. Every year, he made a profit of between 1,500 and 2,000 francs, with the noble family of Saugy helping to finance the project. He launched the construction of the Notre-Dame-du-Lac chapel for the conversion of the Vaud region, the preservation of the Catholic religion in the Chablais region and for boatmen in mortal danger. The chapel was opened for worship on November 21, 1861 by archpriest Duret de Massongy. To see a photo of the chapel: youtu.be/oioslrocuog