Our Lady of Peace Oratory

Aussois

The oratory "Our Lady of Peace" was built in 1942 as a sign of gratitude for having spared the village from the destruction of the war.
The inauguration took place on August 16, 1942. The platform was enlarged and refurbished in 1968.

Description

In fact, the enemy frontier at the village gates did not lead to any major occupation or destruction, as might have been feared.
History: Text from "Le Clocher d'Aussois", September 1968:
"When hostilities ended in June 1940, the evacuation returned on July 10. It was also the return of our military men and boys. We feared the worst: the destruction of the village by bombing or fire... The massacre of our soldiers and the civilian population... the occupation of the village... But the village was intact. The enemy was at Pont Saint-Pierre, but the village was not occupied.
The ordeal had been neither too long nor too hard. Virtually the entire population was back. Our soldiers were returning one after the other: families were getting back together... the village was getting back together... life was starting up again, and we were happy to see that we'd been spared anything we might logically have feared...
We were conscious of having benefited from an obvious protection from Heaven... We had prayed so hard!..."
Abbé Excoffier, who interpreted the feelings of the population, came up with the idea of erecting a "Monument de la Reconnaissance"... The idea matured.
It was to be a statue to Notre-Dame de la Paix, to thank her and ask her to continue her protection.
The statue was enthusiastically paid for by the local population through subscription.

A mass is celebrated there every year on the third Sunday in July.