Aviernoz between Parmelan and church history

Aviernoz brings together two distinct themes for planning your trip: hiking trails to the Parmelan and the history of Saint-Maurice Church. Numerous trails lead from Aviernoz to the Parmelan; at the same time, the village’s history spans an earlier church at Crêt-des-Pierres and the Neo-Gothic building in the town centre. You can therefore decide whether a hike to the plateau or the church’s history will shape your stay.

Hiking to the Plateau du Parmelan

The hiking route to the Plateau du Parmelan is 9 km long, has 400 m of elevation gain, is considered moderately difficult, and takes 3 hours and 15 minutes. Taken together, the distance, ascent, difficulty rating and estimated time give you a concrete basis for assessing the scope of the hike. The starting point for the shortest option is specified: it begins at Chalet de l’Anglettaz, at an elevation of 1,500 metres. When planning, also take the route, road conditions and weather into account.

The hike offers panoramic views of Lake Annecy and passes through lapiaz formations with channels, fissures and crevices. The Parmelan itself is also a limestone plateau, whose landscape is characterised by lapiaz, fissures and dolines. You will therefore encounter karst landforms both as part of the wider landscape and along the hike described here. The view of the lake and the deeply eroded limestone landscape offer different highlights along the same route.

Crossing the lapiaz is technically challenging. For this reason, the Parmelan hike is not recommended for small children or in wet or foggy conditions. Take these restrictions into account when deciding, and check the trail and weather conditions before setting out. The moderate difficulty rating does not replace these specific notes: the crossing and the stated weather conditions are particularly important for planning.

Saint-Maurice Church and its history

Today’s Saint-Maurice Church stands in the town centre and was built in the Neo-Gothic style between 1897 and 1900. It was entirely rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. These dates refer to the present church building; Saint-Maurice was not consecrated until 1932. This chronology distinguishes construction from consecration, two important milestones in the church’s history.

The main altar ensemble is also part of Saint-Maurice Church. The front of the altar depicts the Last Supper: Christ is shown among the twelve Apostles. The scene provides a specific focal point within the church’s furnishings and adds an artistic subject to its architectural history. If you are interested in the area’s cultural heritage, the church brings together architectural history and sacred art, though the two aspects do not belong to the same period.

The story goes back to Crêt-des-Pierres. The former church there was built between 1682 and 1732; following the division of the parish in 1682, it became part of Aviernoz. In 1835, it was completely destroyed by an accidental fire. Aviernoz’s church and cemetery were originally established at Crêt-des-Pierres; the church was relocated in 1896 and the cemetery in 1947. The different dates distinguish the development of the two sites.

Traces of the foundations are still visible at the former church site. A cross marks the location of the former choir. These traces point to the earlier site, while Saint-Maurice in the town centre represents the later church building. Together, the construction, furnishings and history provide a clear chronological framework for Aviernoz’s cultural history.

Discover more destinations: Sciez, Habère-Poche, Duingt, Sixt-Fer-À-Cheval, Mûres, Jonzier-Épagny, Cordon, Verchaix

For the broader travel overview: Haute-Savoie.