Summit Crosses in the Northern French Alps: Sacred History 1850-Present

This comprehensive academic thesis examines the history and cultural significance of cross installations on mountain summits in the Northern French Alps spanning 1850 to the present day. Structured across three distinct historical periods—The Awakening (1850-1870), Growth (1880-1960), and Maturity (1960-2019)—the study traces how sacred symbols came to dominate Alpine peaks and the religious reconquest of mountain spaces. The thesis investigates the motivations behind cross erections, the complex interplay between local spiritual practices and expanding tourism, and how these installations transformed the meaning of Alpine summits over time. Drawing on representations, cartography, and cultural analysis, the work demonstrates how local populations, clergy, administrators, and travelers constructed and negotiated the sacred meaning of these high places according to their own spiritual and material concerns. The study addresses notable conflicts surrounding these religious symbols, including documented vandalism incidents in the Chartreuse massif around 2000 and ongoing contemporary debates about the role of religious symbols in shared public spaces. By bridging religious history, landscape representation, and secular modernity, this thesis provides essential context for understanding how spiritual geography shaped the French Alps and how that landscape continues to reflect broader questions about faith, heritage, and social change.