Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine (chapel): open access

Le Praz is a very old village in the Courchevel region, standing in the middle of a plateau, which is somewhat unusual in the mountains: very often, flat areas were reserved for growing crops and the villages were set apart from the farmland, on the slopes. Here, however, this vast plateau has room enough for both! In times past, the village was best known for "la Madelon," a festival held in July to honour its protectress - Mary Magdalene - and it's still the case today!

The chapel, which stands in the heart of the village, is very large, demonstrating the sizeable population that once lived in this thoroughfare - a location that, in the past, helped generate financial donations. Near the chancel is an altar table used for religious celebrations and masses, in particular. Its altar front or "antependium" is unusually decorated in so-called "Cordoba" leather, one of the many goods that was transported, by mule, through the Alpine mountain passes!