Wandeltocht : Meren van Jovet

"An extremely ancient place of pilgrimage with a curious Baroque-style oratory, covered with Renaissance frescoes and gilt, in the purest tradition of Savoie's religious heritage..." wrote Roger Frison Roche in Mont-Blanc aux sept Vallées.We have no certain information on the origin of Notre-Dame-de-la-Gorge: it is said that 900 years ago, a hermit settled in this valley bottom, to welcome and comfort travellers who passed through this place... The path led to the Bonhomme pass, and from there, one reached Italy. The pious hermit had organised a sanctuary for the "spiritual rehabilitation" of travellers. He dedicated it to Saint Anthony, the patron saint of muleteers and guides. The archives reveal that the small sanctuary became a parish. The bottom of the valley was inhabited: in 1338, the "village" of La Gorge had thirty "fires" (households). A VERY SPECIAL ALTARPIECE Originally, the group of statues on the upper level of the altarpiece illustrated the Coronation of the Virgin, the fifteenth mystery of the Rosary. Mary at prayer, flanked by Christ and God the Father, occupied the central part of the decoration. For some unknown reason, the altarpiece was taken down between the end of the 18th and the middle of the 19th century. Perhaps to protect it during the revolutionary period? When it was put back in place, it was thought to be a good idea to place the statue of the Eternal Father in the centre of the decoration... But the scene thus lost its original meaning! For a long time, art historians, disconcerted by this four-figure Trinity, spoke of "theological boldness". It was only by chance, in 1998, that the original meaning of this composition was understood, when one observed the direction of the cherubs' gaze under each statue! A LATIN VERSION OF THE FAÇADE The façade of the building, protected by its large decorated roof overhang, is comparable, in a slightly simplified version, to those of other churches in the valley. Two stuccoed cartouches with Latin inscriptions are visible: on the left, it is written "He who has found Mary will find life" and on the right "Her foundations are established on the holy mountains". A final inscription can be seen on the transverse band between the cornice and the oculus: "I am the Mother of beautiful goodness". THE STATUES The statues on the left and right of the main altarpiece evoke Saint Anthony, the first patron saint of the place, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the preacher of the Blessed Virgin. Little by little, the church was enriched with five other altars, three of which had gilded altarpieces. They have now disappeared, except for the openwork columns of the left-hand altar and the magnificent frieze in relief, which represents the angels consoling the souls in Purgatory. The flowery, colourful and gilded ensemble is characteristic of the Baroque style. On the left, a statue of Saint François de Sales - bishop of Geneva and great promoter of the reform of the Catholic Church - holding a flaming heart, alludes to his "Traité de l'Amour de Dieu" published in Annecy in 1616. Take a virtual tour here: drone-de-regard.fr/vr/facim/74_contamines.html

The small village of Les Contamines Montjoie is a cul de sac.Notre Dame de la Gorge marks the end of the road and the start of mountain trails. Walk up the old Roman road at the end of the gorge. This road takes you to the "Bonhomme" mountain pass, leading to Italy.

Two hundred metres beyond the church at Notre Dame de la Gorge, a small rather remarkable chapel is perched on the side of the rockface. The primitive structure was located directly in line with the current chapel.According to tradition, the first hermit to settle at the Gorge chose this spot. At the beginning of the Middle Ages the holy chapel became a highly prized place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of the region. Even today, for the Assumption on 15th August and on 8th September, the anniversary of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, a procession is organized from the Church of Notre-Dame de la Gorge to the Holy Chapel.

Enjoy a short walk and discover a suberb waterfall above notre Dame de la Gorge.From Notre Dame de la Gorge take the Roman path upto the Roman bridge. Take a left in direction of the "Chalets de Laya" and then turn to the left again towards the torrent. You can admire the waterfall from the bridge. Approximately 1 hours walk from Notre Dame de la Gorge.

The refuge is located in the heart of nature, within the Contamines Montjoie nature reserve, ideally located above the forest to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding landscapes. The establishment is rustic, which gives it all its charm.At lunchtime, we offer traditional à la carte mountain dishes, platters of charcuterie and local cheeses as well as homemade pastries, on the terrace facing the Aiguilles de la Pennaz. To quench your thirst, you will also find a choice of cold and hot drinks but above all a choice of local beers which maintain the reputation of Mont Blanc. In the evening, we offer half board for hikers, sports enthusiasts, and families wishing to spend an unusual night in a refuge (rooms recommended). We have hot showers, and take advantage of an unobstructed view over the forest to spend pleasant moments among nature enthusiasts.

The Nature Reserve of Les Contamines-Montjoie covers the left side of the valley when you enter the village. Forests, pastures, torrents, rocks, snow and glaciers offer a fragile but wonderful alpine environment.This protected area of 5,500 ha, located within the commune of Les Contamines-Montjoie is a haven of calm and tranquillity. It is classed as a “Nature Reserve” to protect it from development, which all too often ravages the countryside and natural environment. Here you can admire nature in its unspoiled state. Take time to enjoy and savour its many different facets (lakes, mountain pastures, cliffs, glaciers). Appreciate its varied fauna and flora: chamois, ibexes and black grouse live among the gentians and rhododendrons. The natural environment is fragile and animal life is easily disturbed, so please help us by being very careful not to interfere with the natural equilibrium. Help preserve nature for our own and future generations. Nature Reserves are part of the very rare areas of Haute-Savoie where nature has remained “unspoiled” by human contact. So enjoy them! Savour the silence and don’t forget that the rules exist to remind us that nature must be respected!