Religious Art Exhibition

The exhibition includes some rooms from the old monastery, such as the warming-room and the cells.
 
Working together, the Abbey's staff and specialists in art and history have created scenes representing the religious heritage of the Abondance valley using objects and clothing from the collection.

Whether they be simple personal objects or pieces of gold or silverware protected by the Historical Monuments Collection of France, whether they date from the 12th century or from the present time, or whether from Chevenoz, Vacheresse, Bonnevaux, Abondance or La Chapelle d'Abondance, the objects in this exhibition combine to provide a panorama of the religious heritage of the valley of Abondance.

The religious art collection  
 
The collection is made up of nearly 600 items, of which a selection is visible to the public. On display, you’ll find 250 items of religious vestments, a large number of items of gold and silverware, paintings, statues, books and reliquaries dating from the 15^th and to the 20^th centuries.

These vestments and other objects made over a period of five hundred years enable us to trace the evolution of materials and techniques used in the production of religious art over the period.
The collection has recently become the responsibility of the local municipality.  An inventory has been prepared and substantial conservation work has been undertaken by specialist staff.  
Today, the municipality, in conjunction with the Diocesan Commission for Religious Art in Annecy, continues to house objects and vestments on behalf of local parishes.