The commune of Les Avanchers, which was attached to Aigueblanche in 1972, was separated from it again in 1987, following the creation of the Valmorel resort. It spans the Morel mountain stream, and measures were taken at the beginning of the 20th century to protect inhabitants from the risk of flooding.
The church of St. Andrew is mentioned as early as 1270. The only surviving traces of its Romanesque origins are a baptismal font and the base of the bell tower. Opposite the gate built in 1677, there is an original stone cross with a speaking nook and bearing the date 1676.
Inside the church, time periods and artistic trends combine and contrast with each other.
The main altarpiece, realised by Jacques-Antoine Todescoz in 1684, was extensively revised in the 19th century and its attic (the upper section), showing God the Father, is now placed on the balustrade of the gallery! This explains the presence at the top of the current composition of the patron saint of the parish (in the central painting, with his characteristic X-shaped cross), without the conventional domination of the Eternal Father.
The curves, rifts and movement in the secondary altarpieces, dating from the 19th century, show that the Baroque spirit has survived in the alpine valleys well after the major changes of the Revolutionary period.
- Historic site and monument
Church of St. Andrew: Free entry
The church of St. Andrew was built in 1676 by Louis Billiot and Aimé Riondet, and at the time was decorated in the Baroque style. In 1845, when the church was redecorated, the Neogothic style was in vogue, although this did not prevent certain Baroque elements being preserved.
Historic site and monument Church of St. Andrew: Free entry Les Avanchers-Valmorel
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