r ' S 1 .1m
110 H A U T E C O M B E .
nearly two hours crossing the water. The
situation of the monastery could not have
been better chosen for entire seclusion
from the world. The Montagne du Chat,
wliicli forms the western boundary oi the
lake, descends so precipitously into the
water, as absolutely to prevent the possibility
of landing, except in a few situations ;
but at Haute Combe it retires, and forms a
sheltered recess, surmounted by forests of
chesnut and walnut trees, beneath which
are vineyards, corn-fields, and orchards.
The monastery is placed on a rocky eminence,
at the edge of the lake.
Though the monastery of Haute Combe
is of high antiquity, and was one of the
most considerable monastic institutions in
Savoy, it has rather the appearance of a
large modern mansion, than of an ancient
religious establishment. The monastery
was founded in 1125, by Amedeus, the
third count of Savoy. The church was
formerly the burial-place of the counts and
dukes of Savoy, who built here two magnificent
Gothic chapels, ornamented with
gilding, pictures, and bas-reliefs in the taste
of the thirteenth century. Among the
monuments destroyed at the Revolution, in
H A U T E C O M B E . 141
1793, was one of Boniface, archbishop of
Canterbury, and primate of England, who
died in 1270. He was a Savoyard. The
church belonging to the monastery was
greatly injured at the time of the French
Revolution, and was converted into a manufactory
for china and earthenware, which,
however, did not succeed. The furnaces
and broken pots and pans still remain.
The gardens round the monastery are kept
in good order, part of the building being
occupied as a dwelling-house by the present
proprietor.
In the church and sacristy there were
formerly many curious paintings and relicks,
incased in gold and silver, with vases
and other ornaments of great value. The
ancient chronicles of Savoy were also
kept here. We saw the apartment wfiiere
these treasures had once been deposited;
it was surrounded with recesses, fitted up
with shelves and sliding doors; but their
contents have long since disappeared: a
few paintings, however, of high antiquity
remained. One of these, which was on the
ground, leaning against the wall, attracted
our attention, from the singular attitudes
of the figures. It represented a saint standfi.
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